Harbinger
by MelonMochi
Summary: Rin has an "imaginary" friend. But things aren't always what they seem.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hello! This is something I've been pecking at when I don't feel motivated enough to write anything for my other plots (so, as you can imagine, I've been working on it a lot recently heh) It's been rotting on my hard drive for a while and I decided on a whim to post it. It's not very good, but someone out there might like it I guess. For those of you that have read other stories with my OCs, the Ammon in this story is _not_ related to Amaimon. I'm awful at making new characters, so I reuse them a lot.

The first two chapters make up the beginning together, so I've uploaded them at the same time.

 **Blue Exorcist belongs to Katou Kazue and Co.**

* * *

" _ **Rin?" Shiro sighed, exasperated, and**_ _ran a hand through his short, gray hair. Where did that little rascal run off to now? It wasn't unusual for little Rin Okumura to go wandering off in the middle of the day. Sure it was annoying, especially when he was pulled away from his work to search for the little runt, but hardly unusual._

 _Shiro turned the corner to the hall that led to the twins' bedroom and froze. The hatch for the attic had been pulled down and he could hear faint, childish laughter coming from above him. He stared at the dark room in disbelief for a moment. Rin was certainly a special child, in more ways than one, but there was_ no way _a six-year-old could have pulled down that ladder without help._

 _It was the_ kind of help _he might have had that caused Shiro to worry._

" _Rin? Are you up there?" Without waiting for a response, Shiro climbed the steps and found Rin in a dusty corner, lit by the sunlight pouring in from the small window above him. He giggled and rolled his ball_ _—_ _a dark blue thing with yellow stars_ _—_ _into the corner opposite of him. It disappeared into the seemingly impenetrable darkness that blanketed that particular spot of the attic._

 _Shiro crouched down beside him and smiled. "What are you doing up here all alone, Rin?"_

 _He looked up, a confused expression on his cute face. "I'm not alone; my friend is here!" He pointed to the darkened corner._

 _Shiro looked, but, thankfully, didn't sense anything; not from this world or the mirror world. Rin must still have an imaginary friend_ _—_ _he_ was _rather creative for his age. "What's your friend's name?"_

" _A Moon!" he cried, dragging out the words in a sing-song voice._

" _That's a nice name." He stood and retrieved the ball from its spot in the corner. "Why don't you and A Moon go down and play with your brother?"_

" _Okay!" Rin scrambled to his feet and hurried down the steps, arms outstretched as he pretended he was a flying plane._

 _Shiro watched him go with a faint smile. Once Rin's footsteps completely faded, he turned his attention to the corner where this 'friend' was. He crouched down on one knee and gently rolled the ball into the shadows, just as Rin had a few minutes before._

 _He stared into the darkness that swallowed the toy, half expecting it to bounce back, pushed by some invisible hand. But that was ridiculous. Rin was still far too young to awaken to his powers, and there were no ghosts in the monastery. After a moment of silence, he laughed at himself. "I'm getting too old for this."_

 _As he turned to leave, the ball rolled back to him quickly, bumping against his shoe before coming to a complete stop._

 **. . .**

Rin stared down at the bruises forming on his knuckles, regret welling up inside him. What was wrong with him? On his way to the job center, he had stumbled across a group of boys attacking a flock of pigeons and had just...lost it. What kind of monster hurts innocent animals anyway?

A bird, its broken wing mended, leapt into the air and fluttered noisily into the distance. Rin watched it disappear over the buildings with a wistful expression. If only he could do the same.

"What is my problem?"

" _Your_ problem is that you're too emotional." Rin wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand and glared at the boy picking through the corpses. "You care too much. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, but it seems to get you into trouble more often than not."

He ignored the boy's snarky response and pointed to the dead pigeon in his hands. "Should you really be doing that?"

"No one cares about a few birds." He tossed it into the air and it immediately took flight, its life suddenly restored to it. Rin watched it frantically fly away. "I guess, like you, I have a soft spot for the innocent."

Ammon, Rin's childhood friend, stood just a few inches shorter than him. He had pitch-black hair that seemed to stand up on its own in the back. His bangs were neat and always pushed to the right side of his face. (It was occasionally held back with a silver barrette, but not today.) He was incredibly pale, almost a porcelain white, and his eyes were a sparkling gold. They were like the eyes of a cat, and glinted curiously in the darkness.

He was, unlike Rin, attractive, (as far as teenage boys went.) Rin had a mess of dark hair he hardly ever combed and striking blue eyes that seemed to pierce people when he was angry. Whenever the topic was brought up, Ammon would insist that Rin had a wonderful smile; a benign, affable aura that drew people in and made them feel comfortable. Rin never believed it. If he was so friendly and approachable, why did he always find himself in fistfights? Why did everyone call him a demon?

"Because that's how you see yourself." Rin rolled his eyes. This was what Ammon did best: answer his thoughts as if he could hear him. It irritated him, but it was also the thing he liked the most about Ammon. "Stop pretending that you're some sort of worthless loser, and I guarantee you people will stop calling you a demon." He bent down and scooped up another bird, brushing the loose feathers from its corpse.

Rin watched him, though not too closely. He never understood how Ammon worked his magic and, rather than attempt to comprehend exactly what he was doing to those birds to bring them back from the brink of death, he simply accepted it. "Have you ever met a demon before, Ammon?"

The pigeon in his hands took off. "Literally or figuratively?"

"Literally."

He paused, gently stroking the chest of a bird as its broken wings snapped back into place. "…Once or twice."

"What are they like?"

A strong breeze brushed discarded feathers across the empty park. Ammon turned to it, using it as a distraction to gather his thoughts. "Well, I can say they're nothing like you."

He scoffed and sniffed, feeling a droplet of blood trickle down from his nose. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Another bird flew into the air. "Does it?" Ammon stared at him, yellow eyes reflecting light from the streetlamp.

"Yeah, it does."

He smiled warmly. "Then mission accomplished." Rin sniffed again, and this time Ammon came to his aid. "Don't wipe that on your sleeve," he scolded, "Yukio will notice." He pressed a black, silk handkerchief to his face, wiping away the blood.

"What are you, my mom?" Rin accepted it regardless, and pressed it hard to his nose to stem the bleeding.

"I think I'd make a pretty good parent, all things considered." Rin rolled his eyes again. He didn't say anything, but he thought Ammon would make a good father—seeing as how he was always cleaning up his messes and fixing his mistakes. "Why don't you go home, Rin? I can finish up here." With a flick of his wrist, a nearby bird sprang to life and fluttered away noisily, leaving behind a cluster of broken, gray feathers.

 **. . .**

Rin reluctantly and quietly eased the back door to the kitchen open, hoping he could slip in without being noticed by anyone important. Unfortunately, his twin brother, Yukio, was there waiting for him.

And so was Father Fujimoto.

He cursed under his breath and slowly began to close the door, but Yukio had seen him attempting to hide and pulled it wide open. "Rin! There you are. You missed dinner."

"Urp!"

"Where have you been?"

"Um, I, uh…"

"He was at the job center. _Right, Rin_?" Father Fujimoto eyed him dangerously from his spot at the table. "So, did you get a job?"

"Uh, yeah, a-about that…"

"You were in another fight, weren't you?" Yukio grabbed his brother's hand and turned it over. "Look at you; you're hurt." He pointed to the blood staining the hem of his sleeve.

Rin snatched his hand back and shoved it into his pocket. "I-it's none of your business where I've been!"

"Shame on you, Rin!" He flinched and turned to Father Fujimoto. "Why don't you ever _think_ before you resort to violence?"

"You're one to talk!" he snapped, remembering all the times he had been scolded by having kitchen utensils thrown in his face.

Father Fujimoto stood abruptly, and for a moment Rin was worried he might do something drastic, but all he did was hold a folded scrap of paper out to him. "Here."

An address was written on it. "What's this?"

"An acquaintance of mine runs a restaurant. He needs an apprentice. If you're interested, he'll interview you."

"A-an interview?" He stared down at the small note and suddenly became angry. Not at Father Fujimoto for suggesting the occupation, but at himself. He tightened his grip on the scrap, crumpling it slightly. "…I can't."

He narrowed his eyes. "Why not?"

Yukio chimed in, trying to diffuse the tension hanging between the two like always. "You're a great cook—I think it's perfect for you, Rin."

"You know I can't hold a job," he muttered bitterly. "I'll just mess it up." He tore the note into small pieces and shoved them into his pocket. "I mess everything up." He'd only gotten this far in life thanks to Ammon's uncanny ability to fix his mistakes; but he wasn't supposed to say that out loud.

Father Fujimoto clenched his fists and frowned deeply. "You little brat!" he yelled, but this time Rin didn't care. "You can't be picky without an academic record!" He sighed, blowing the anger out of his voice. "One day you're going to have to leave this place, and I'll be damned if you end up living on the streets."

"I know that!"

"No, I don't think you do. You don't understand _anything_ about what it will be like for you out there."

" _You're_ the one who doesn't understand!"

"Rin…" Yukio reached out to console him, but he shoved his brother away and stormed down the hall to his room.

 **. . .**

Ammon never made noise when he entered a room, nor had Rin ever seen him use a door properly. One second you were alone, and then the next thing you knew he was standing beside you. His sudden appearance and disappearance didn't bother Rin, at least, not anymore. But he did have other…'abilities'…that bordered on unnerving—like bringing dead animals back to life, or manipulating heavy objects telepathically, or effortlessly convincing people to forget they had seen him, (that last one was particularly annoying.)

Rin had tried for years to figure out what Ammon was, but he could never come up with an answer that satisfied him. He wasn't imaginary—like everyone had originally thought—or a ghost, or a demon, or an alien, (though that would be pretty cool), or anything remotely malevolent, so, out of desperation, he had turned to his family for help. But, naturally, that proved to be a fruitless endeavor. Any mention of Ammon, even subtly, threw Father Fujimoto into an uncharacteristic rage. The other priests didn't know what to make of him, and Yukio…

Well, Yukio was undecided, as far as Rin could tell. On one hand, he seemed to believe Rin, and had never called him insane or childish when he spoke about him. But, on the other, he insisted that Ammon was merely a phase, something that he would eventually grow out of.

It had been ten years, and Ammon was just as present in Rin's daily life as ever. In fact, it had only gotten worse. Ammon was like a shadow, hanging over Rin and answering his every call. That the boy always wore black only compounded this.

But thinking about it now only frustrated him. Rin no longer cared what he was or where he came from; he was just happy to have someone to listen to him—to both the things he said aloud and to the things he didn't.

Ammon walked over to where he sat hunched at his desk and placed a tray of hot food beside him. "Yukio dropped this off outside your door."

Rin didn't look up from the tiny shreds of paper he was struggling to put back together. "What is it?"

"Ramen. Pork, I think." He stepped back and leaned against his closet door.

"Nice."

"What are you doing?" Ammon tilted his head.

He discarded the piece in his hand and picked up a different one. "Trying to put this back together…" His brow knitted in concentration as he compared the torn edges of the scrap to the other pieces of the barely completed note. Finally, he tossed it down and let out a frustrated sigh. "I hate jigsaw puzzles. Can you fix this?"

Without any further questions, Ammon scooped the mess into his hands and held them firmly together for a moment. When he pulled them apart, the note was back to its original folded state. Rin accepted it with an excited smile and opened it. Ammon read over his shoulder. "An address? Where to?"

Rin looked up at him with a smug grin. "I have an interview tomorrow. I'm gonna teach that old man not to look down on me anymore."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** This is based off the manga, so the demon in this chapter is not Astaroth, just some random demon of rot.

* * *

 **Ammon stared out the open** window beside the main entrance to the monastery, enjoying the early spring breeze and waiting patiently for Rin to finish getting ready for his interview. Father Fujimoto was just outside and he could hear the muffled sound of his voice as he tried to console a young girl and her family. He handed her something, a charm to chase away the nonexistent monsters keeping her up at night, and then sent the three on their way. Before she left through the gate, the child tugged on her mother's skirt and pointed at Ammon.

Children were unpredictable when it came to Ammon—some of them could see him, some of them could only sense him, and a few could even interact with him. Over the years he had learned that hiding his presence was a waste of effort when it came to children. Parents weren't very likely to believe them anyway, so long as he didn't frighten them.

He remained where he was, hands in his pockets, and met Father Fujimoto's eyes when he turned to look at whatever the girl was trying to point out. His brow knitted with suspicion and anger, but there was nothing there—just an open window and an empty hallway beyond it.

Exorcist or not, Shiro would never be able to see Ammon, no matter how badly he wanted to.

Because that was part of his contract.

"Are you coming with me?" Rin hesitated at the door and messed with his hair, trying to make it look somewhat presentable. He wore a black suit without a tie and looked rather attractive for a young man going to a simple interview.

"Do you want me to?"

Rin looked at him and shrugged sheepishly. "I don't need you; if that's what you're wondering." Of course he didn't—Rin wasn't the type to admit how terrified he was aloud. But Ammon could feel the nervous tension radiating off of him and he knew Rin didn't want to go there alone.

"I'm going anyway," he said with a playful grin, much to Rin's relief. "Having a familiar face to support you will make you feel more confident." He opened the door for Rin without touching it. "After you."

"Driving away imaginary demons again?" He approached Father Fujimoto and, following his gaze, glanced back at the open window. "All you ever do is listen to their problems." Ammon walked ahead of him to the gate and peered around the corner at the girl as she was leaving. Her eyes widened when she glanced back and saw him, and she tugged on her mother's arm, urging her to move faster.

"Who were you talking to in there?"

Rin cringed, surprised. "What? No one." He lowered his eyes and turned away. "Have all the ghost stories gone to your head, old man?"

He eyed Rin closely, suspicious of his avoidant behavior. And then his face broke into a wide, teasing smile. "What's with the suit?"

"O-oh, uh..." He looked down at himself with a faint blush. "I-I thought I'd go to that interview, so I borrowed it."

"Really?" Father Fujimoto raised his brow in a mocking manner. "Don't I remember you ripping up that address? What made you change your mind?"

"N-none of your business!" His cheeks turned a darker shade of red.

Father Fujimoto laughed lightly. "Right, I forgot—I wouldn't understand." Rin's anger slowly turned to shame, and he muttered a barely audible apology under his breath. But the old man, like any good parent, merely brushed it off and ruffled his hair affectionately. Rin had said an awful lot of nasty things to Father Fujimoto, and this certainly wouldn't be the last time he spat something hateful without thinking. "Where's your tie?"

"T-tie? Uhh... I decided to go casual…"

He scoffed. "Liar. You just don't know how to tie it." He gestured for Rin to fetch his tie. "Give it here. Put up your collar and undo your top button."

Ammon watched them from a distance as Father Fujimoto messed with Rin, his expression relaxed with adoration. Rin had no idea how lucky he was to have a father like Shiro, or a family that cared so deeply for him. He would have done literally anything for love like this when he was Rin's age; but that part of his life was over now, and he felt he could make up for a lost childhood by ensuring Rin's life was better than his own.

"There. All done."

Rin pulled away from him, annoyed. "Stop treating me like a child! I'm an adult now!"

"You? An adult? _Hah_!" Father Fujimoto tossed his head back and laughed loudly.

"Shut up!" Rin snapped, flushed with embarrassment.

"If my teasing frustrates you so much, then show me you've grown up." He reached out to ruffle Rin's hair again, but he was prepared and smacked his arm away.

"I will! I'm gonna get this job and then I'm gonna be a famous chef! So dig the wax out of your eyes, you old fart!"

He snorted, barely able to control his laughter. " _Wax_? In my _eyes_?"

Rin growled in frustration. "Just _shut up_!" He whirled on his heel and stormed away, fuming.

Ammon covered his mouth with a hand to hide his own laughter. "It's ears, Rin—people don't have wax in their eyes." Rin shot him a vicious glare as he passed.

And then, just before he turned the corner, a tiny, black speck lazily floated by his face. He didn't notice it at first, but, out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a pointed tail trailing behind it. Rin slowed his pace and glanced back at the buzzing creature, curious. It had large, green eyes, and stared back at him blankly.

He quickly lost interest in whatever it was and continued walking.

 **. . .**

"Aren't you hot in that?" Rin asked, nodding to the thick, black cardigan that Ammon wore over his matching black dress shirt. It was made from wool and well-constructed, and its sleeves were long enough to cover his hands whenever they weren't shoved in its pockets. It was stylish and comfortable, yet completely inappropriate for the warm, spring weather.

"What? This old thing? Hardly." He was beside Rin, and didn't even blink when someone walked right through him as if he was made of air.

But Rin wasn't really focused on his ghost-like companion anymore. Rather, his attention was consumed by the hundreds of black dots with green eyes that had suddenly appeared, buzzing around people and buildings. He had never seen them before until today, and the more he looked, the more he saw. The strange thing was...no one else seemed to notice them.

"H-hey, Ammon, what are all these black things?" He waved a hand in front of him, trying to shoo them off. "Are they bugs?"

"You mean the coal tar?" Ammon paused and gave him a curious, worried look. "You can see them?"

"Huh?" Rin stopped walking, fear and dread bubbling inside his chest. "Wh-what do you mean? Are they supposed to be invisible like you?"

Ammon hesitated, but answered him regardless. "They're low-level demons that possess tiny, dirty things like fungi or dust particles."

"De...demons?"

"You shouldn't be able to see them unless you've had an interaction with a demon before." His voice trailed off and his expression turned solemn. "I guess that fight yesterday tainted you. I'm sorry—it's my fault. I should have done something."

Rin couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are… Are you telling me that demons are real?"

"Of course. You've just never seen them before. Billions of people go their whole lives without ever knowing."

"I... I don't..." Rin pinched the bridge of his nose, a tumult of emotions whirling around in his head, making his vision blur. First Ammon and now flying black things with big eyes? Rin was going to end up drugged in an asylum at this rate.

"I can't make them go away, but I can force them to give us some room, if you think that would help?"

"Y-yeah." He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, hoping that when he opened them everything would be back to normal.

Without an indication that he had done anything, Ammon began to emit a resonating aura. The bugs nearest to them scattered, and others that flew in their direction moved to the side, giving them a wide berth. "Better?"

Rin eased his eyes open and looked around. They were still there, but at least they weren't hovering in his face. "A little." He turned back to Ammon to ask him something, but the question was immediately wiped from his mind when he noticed his horrified expression. "Ammon? What's with that face?"

"Okumura!" Rin knew exactly who that voice belonged to. He slowly, and reluctantly, turned around.

And froze when he saw what had startled Ammon.

The white-haired pigeon killer from yesterday had miraculously sprouted horns and a tail. The black bugs—no, demons—seemed to be pouring out of his skin, almost as if his body was creating them. He had a terrifying face with obvious fangs, and a faint, pungent odor surrounded him.

"We're really sorry about what happened yesterday." His said slowly, his voice sinister and ominous. "We want to properly apologize to you. Got a minute?"

"Rin, don't."

He glanced back at Ammon with a slight glare. "I'm not a coward."

"It's not that—he's dangerous!"

"I know; but I've beat his ass before and I can do it again." He turned to the delinquent and pretended to look at a watch he wasn't wearing. "If it won't take long. I have an interview to get to." His smug response was answered with a twisted, disturbing grin.

 **. . .**

The pigeon killer and his three lackeys led him to a back alley blocked from the main road by a line of trash and discarded junk. Ammon followed at a distance, eyes never leaving the horned teenager. "So, how much should I pay you?"

"Pay me?" Rin raised a brow, confused.

"The new term at True Cross Academy is about to start, and I wouldn't want…rumors to spread about me. Call it hush money—I pay you, and you keep a secret. Sound fair?"

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, so _that's_ what this is about." He turned to leave. "I won't say anything; just leave me alone."

"Where do you think you're going?" He roughly grabbed Rin by the shoulder and pulled him back. "You _need_ this money. I know you do—your family is poor." He grinned and whispered harshly in Rin's ear. "So poor your brother had to study to get a scholarship. How sad… Why don't you put this toward his tuition?" He tucked a wad of cash into the breast pocket of Rin's jacket.

Rin shoved him off and threw the money on the ground. "Don't touch me!"

The pigeon killer only laughed. "What's with that attitude? Don't you care about your brother?"

Something in him snapped. Rin lunged forward and punched the teen hard in his injured face, knocking him off his feet. "Don't you _dare_ talk about Yukio like that!" The other three that were loitering around immediately sprang into action, tackling him and pinning him to the ground near the wad of money he had thrown away.

He laughed even harder and slowly pulled himself to his feet, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Oh, Rin…" He crouched down beside him and showed him the sharp pocket knife he now held in his hand. "Don't you get it? I'm trying to help you." He grabbed a fistful of Rin's hair and tugged his head back so they made eye contact. "For starters, everyone knows you're supposed to _shave your head_ before you go to an interview!"

"Wha... _Stop_!" Rin's feeble struggling only made him tighten his grip.

"Don't get mad if a little skin comes off," he giggled with an almost demonic delight, pressing the knife to his head. "I'm new at this…"

 _He's going to kill me!_ "A-Ammon! Help!"

"Ammon?" He laughed once, a sound laced with insanity. "Who's that? Your imaginary friend?"

"He's _not_ imaginary!"

All four of them were instantly thrown off Rin by some invisible force. The only one to land on his feet was the white-haired pigeon killer; the others were knocked unconscious by the telepathic blast. Ammon placed himself between Rin and the demon, hands calmly in the pockets of his cardigan. Rin let out a heavy sigh of relief.

The demon shook his head to clear his muddled mind and snarled. "Why you little—" But he stopped when his eyes met Ammon's. "No…" He scrambled back, tripped over his own tail, and landed on his backside. "N-no! No!"

"My Lord God," Ammon began, his voice gentle and low as he took small steps forward. "Even now I accept at Thy hands…"

"No! _No_! Stop it!"

"…cheerfully and willingly, with all its anxieties, pains, and sufferings…" Unable to move any further, the demon clasped his ears and screamed, like he was being ripped apart from the inside. Rin watched, propped up on his elbows, curious and horrified. He had never seen Ammon do this before in all the years they've lived together. "…whatever death it shall please Thee to be mine."

Ammon dropped down to his knees and gently took the demon's head in his hands. He opened his eyes and stared at Ammon, terrified. "No…please, no."

"Amen." Large, black wings exploded out of Ammon's back, feathers hanging delicately over the two of them like a veil. He looked almost like an angel knelt in prayer.

"Wh-what are you…" Before Rin could finish, Ammon pressed his lips gently against the demon's open mouth. The pigeon killer's body convulsed violently, like he was being electrocuted. Eventually, his twitching stopped and Ammon pulled back. With a strange, wind-like sound, his wings folded back into the unseen abyss where they came from.

He stood and returned to Rin. "Are you alright?"

"Wha… Wh-what the hell did you do to him?" Rin clambered to his feet, using the nearby wall to support his trembling legs.

"He was possessed; I exorcised him."

"Po… Possessed?" His eyes fell to the unmoving body. "Is… Is he…?"

"The human part of him is fine. I only targeted the demon. He'll wake up in a bit, but he won't remember anything." Ammon gestured to the three bodies behind him. "Same with the others."

Rin stood there for a moment, leaning against the wall, concentrating on his labored breathing, trying to process everything that had just happened. "…Am I crazy?"

Ammon placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Go home, Rin. Get Father Fujimoto and tell him you're seeing demons. He can explain all of this better than I can."

"What? But—"

He silenced Rin with a shake of his head. "I can't give you answers that will satisfy you. You need to hear it from Father Fujimoto, not me."

"O-okay," he nodded absently. "Go to Father Fujimoto…" He pushed away from the wall and staggered slightly, but quickly found his balance. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be right there."

Rin quietly left the alleyway, head down and hands in his pockets. The second he was out of sight, Shiro stepped out from his hiding spot and knelt beside the unconscious body of the pigeon killer. He pressed two fingers to his neck, finding a slow, rhythmic pulse. Ammon watched him, trying to judge his reaction.

Shiro stood and glanced around the alley, but, of course, he couldn't see anything but trash. "I don't know who you are," he said through gritted teeth, "but _leave my son alone_!"

Ammon didn't respond, and instead stepped into the shadows to rejoin Rin.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Huge thanks to all the people who took the time to leave a review: **FlowerFoxWings** , **Swoab** , **oldminnie** , **ukatO Otaku** , **TheDeadOne28** , and **F4y**! I honestly thought this story would be boring considering I'm -technically- only writing half of it, but you all have proved me wrong. To show my appreciation, here's a mid-week update!

In this chapter, Ammon mentions Heaven, which I've decided to name Shamayim to match with Gehenna and Assiah. I've also named Purgatory Sheol. I'm not sure if any of those have an official name in the manga yet (I'm not completely caught up) but if they do I probably didn't notice because I'm dumb. A quick guide for those who may need it: Shamayim = Heaven; Assiah = Earth; Sheol = Purgatory/Limbo; Gehenna = Hell

* * *

 **Yukio tapped the concealed tattoo** on his left arm twice with his middle and index fingers, letting Ammon know that they needed to talk. He gave the demon a few minutes to finish whatever it was he was doing and busied himself with preparing herbs while he waited. Just as he was filling his final vial with ground sage, Ammon entered his room. He swiveled around in his chair to greet him.

The demon obviously knew he was going to be scolded, and approached Yukio reluctantly. "What is it?"

He stared down at the vial in his hands as he spoke. "Rin came home earlier, crying about being attacked. Father Fujimoto was forced to tell him everything about Gehenna and exorcists." Well, he didn't tell Rin _everything_ —the nature of his birth was still a well-guarded secret—but Ammon didn't need to know that. "What happened? Why is my brother suddenly seeing demons?"

Despite his apprehension, Ammon's eyes never wavered from Yukio. "He was attacked by the same group of boys he had an argument with yesterday. One of them was possessed. I exorcised him, and then we came back here."

"That doesn't explain why he's suddenly seeing coal tar."

"I believe the boy was in the process of being possessed, and thus gave Rin some of its temptaint when they fought the day before."

Yukio sat back in his chair with a sigh. There was no reason for him to doubt Ammon, but his story still disturbed him. Rin wasn't supposed to know anything about demons—it was Yukio's responsibility to protect him from that. Or else, he might learn that…

"Master?"

He waved a hand. "You can go now." He turned back to his desk and placed the vial away.

"Actually, I need to talk to you about True Cross Academy."

"Is there something wrong with the Academy?"

Ammon moved to stand beside his chair. "It's too far."

"Too far?" Yukio raised a brow at him. "What do you mean?"

"It's out of my range." He picked up the vial Yukio had just tucked into his bag and examined its contents. "I can only stay out of range for a few hours at best. Any more than that and our contract will be nullified."

" _Nullified_!?" He turned his chair toward him again. "I ordered you to protect Rin, _not_ hang around me!"

"But Rin isn't what's binding me to Assiah." He tapped Yukio's upper arm with the vial. "I need to be near my active summoning circle in order to continue existing here."

Yukio snatched it out of his hand. "So I'll make a new circle here in the monastery."

Ammon shrugged. "You could do that. But, to tether me to a circle not made of flesh you'd have to send me back briefly."

"And is that a problem?"

"Our kind is very difficult to summon. If you try to bring me back, and all those ridiculously specific requirements for my summoning aren't met, you're going to get…something else instead." He paused for a moment to let it sink in. "I do have a suggestion, if I may speak freely?"

"Like you already aren't?"

Ammon laughed slightly at his response. "Take Rin with you. After learning that his entire family is made up of exorcists, including his twin brother, he feels left out. He wants to get stronger and learn how to protect people, especially you, Yukio." The young exorcist met his comforting gaze. "Rin loves you dearly, and he feels it's not fair you have to do all the work by yourself."

Yukio scoffed and turned away, light from his desk lamp reflecting off his glasses. "He'd make a terrible exorcist."

"You're not listening."

"He _can't_ be an exorcist!" he said firmly, clenching his jaw.

Ammon, startled by his sudden ferocity, stepped back, out of the dim light, his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. "What are you so afraid of?"

"I…" Yukio hesitated, struggling to regain his composure. Every second Rin spent closer to demons was a second he spent closer to the truth. He didn't want Rin to find out, but how much longer could he hide it? Not long, he assumed; considering he could already see coal tar and possessed humans. But then… Wouldn't it be better to teach him how to fight demons? That way, when he finally learned who he really was, he would be prepared. "I'll talk to Father Fujimoto about it."

 **. . .**

Rin was preoccupied drowning himself in dramatic manga for most of the day, giving Ammon ample time to explore the monastery, (and eavesdrop on a few private conversations.) Bored out of his mind, he went from room to room, searching for any undiscovered secrets and even scaring a priest by throwing a few books off his shelf.

His pranking came to a sudden end when he stumbled across Shiro and a guest in the back room. Ammon had seen this man a few times before, (he was easy to recognize thanks to his strange, flamboyant outfit), but never inside the monastery. He had an otherworldly aura around him, ominous and powerful. It was enough to keep Ammon from approaching. He stepped silently into the room, behind a table holding a potted plant, and listened.

"You want Rin to become an exorcist?" He tossed his head back and laughed heartily. Shiro waited patiently for him to finish his fit, slightly annoyed by his mocking tone. "Hah! Have you lost your mind, Shiro? Do you _want_ Rin to discover who he is?"

"No, but I don't think I can hide it from him much longer. He'll be safer with you and Yukio at the Academy. I'm a busy man; I can't always leave my duties to get him out of trouble."

Ammon stepped to the side to get a better look and relaxed, lowering his guard. He didn't always need to hide his presence, and sometimes it was more beneficial for him to save his energy than exert himself trying to hide from everyone. From this angle, he could see Shiro's guest had neat, purple hair under his large hat and piercing, green eyes. He _looked_ like a demon, and Ammon was worried that was exactly what he was.

He moved even closer, curiosity consuming his rationality.

"Most interesting! I quite like it! First, we…" He hesitated and turned around, eyes immediately locking with Ammon's.

He stepped back behind the plant and quickly threw up his barrier, concealing himself.

What was _that_? How could he possibly know where Ammon was? Even the demon of rot from yesterday couldn't sense his presence until he decided to reveal himself. There was no way this man was human or a normal demon. Then what was he? A demon king? But why would Shiro, a priest and the Paladin, consult with...

No. Impossible. Ammon cut off the thought before it had a chance to fester.

"Mephisto?" Shiro followed his gaze, but couldn't see what it was that had bothered his friend. "What is it?"

He turned back to the priest with a smile. "Hmm? Oh, it's nothing. As I was saying…" Ammon took the opportunity and left the room, terrified.

 **. . .**

That night, after everyone at the monastery had gone to bed, Shiro sat alone at the kitchen table, a blank sheet of paper in front of him. He pulled a pen out of his pocket and clicked it. "Come out, come out, where ever you are…" He began to slowly write a name in a strange, demonic language.

" _Stop it_!" Ammon snatched the page from him as he was finishing the second syllable and tore it to pieces. The shreds caught fire as they fluttered to the floor around him. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Shiro leaned back in his seat and tapped the pen against his chin contemplatively. "It's true; you come when your name is written. Aba—"

" _Ammon_!" he cried desperately, almost breathless. "My name is Ammon." He glared quietly, fists clenched hard at his sides, and a tense silence filled the empty seconds between them.

"So _you're_ A Moon, huh? Never heard of a Harbinger before."

"You're not supposed to know we exist."

"Right—Yukio told me everything." He placed his pen down gently and drew in a long breath. "I'm…surprised, to say the least."

"What do you want?"

Shiro smiled at him, but it did little to relax Ammon's rigid posture. "I have a favor to ask. But, first, I have some questions. You will answer honestly, or I will write your name on every available surface of this building. Understand?" Ammon hesitated, but eventually gave him a short, stiff nod. "Who summoned you?"

"I can't tell you that."

"And why are you following Rin?"

"I'm protecting him."

"From what?"

Ammon opened his mouth, but no words came out. He didn't know why he was protecting Rin, just that it was part of his contract. So long as Rin was safe, he was free to use True Cross Town as his feeding grounds. If he didn't keep his end of the deal, he would starve. He never once bothered to question his master's motives. "From everything. I want him to be happy."

"That's very…generous of you." Shiro was obviously unconvinced, but, given how long Ammon has been with Rin, he didn't have any reason to suspect him of anything malicious. Yet. "Are you a demon?"

"Yes and no." Shiro raised a brow questioningly. "We're somewhere in between—too pure for Gehenna but too tainted for Shamayim. Our manor lies in Sheol."

"And you devour human souls?"

"If they're ready for us, yes. Shamayim is overpopulated, and only very special spirits are allowed in these days."

"Better your digestive tract than Gehenna, I guess." He grinned. Ammon didn't find his dark jape about his lifestyle funny.

He scoffed, disgusted. "Is that all? Or do you want to mock me more?"

"Don't be such a tight-ass." Ammon hardened his expression, forcing Shiro to change the subject. "Will you be accompanying Rin to True Cross Academy?"

"Yes."

"Good." He paused, tapping his fingertips against the table, trying to figure out how to word his thoughts. "I always thought you were malevolent. I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "You're not the first and you won't be the last."

"Right," he sighed and stood. "Now about that favor. Follow me." He gestured and walked into the storage room adjacent to the kitchen. Ammon followed through the wall, startling Shiro as he suddenly stepped in front of him. "…That must be a convenient power to have."

"More than you know, Father."

Shiro grinned playfully at him and unclasped a key from around his neck. "I want you to take this sword and guard it with your life." He inserted it into the lock of a trunk in the corner. "Don't let Rin get his hands on it. God knows what kind of chaos that idiot will cause if he draws it." He removed a beautiful, blue katana with golden accents decorating it. A red case and black strap were still sitting inside the trunk. "It's a magic sword; known as the Koma sword or Kurikara." He held it out to Ammon handle first.

He reached out for it, hesitated, and then quickly snatched his hand back. "Wh-what is that?"

His smile and playful demeanor instantly vanished. "What?"

"T-that seal on the scabbard..." He took a cautious step back and swallowed hard, his hands trembling at his sides.

Shiro was beginning to get nervous. "I told you; it's a magic sword."

Ammon shook his head slowly, his breath coming in short, panicked rasps. "That's not magic."

He snorted. "Like you would know. Here, take it." He thrust it at the boy, causing him to scream and stumble backwards.

"Keep that thing away from me!" he shouted, struggling to maintain his balance as he scrambled away. His heart pounded violently in his chest, and it seemed like his entire body was shaking with fear. "I will protect Rin without question, but I _refuse_ to harbor a portal to Gehenna."

Belatedly, it dawned on Shiro that Ammon didn't know who Rin's real father was. He returned the sword to the trunk and locked it. "Fair enough." He would have to ask Yukio to take it.

 **. . .**

Ammon stood in front of Rin's bedroom window, watching the early spring breeze ruffle the newly budded leaves of the trees. "It's strange to see you this active so early in the morning." Rin stopped packing long enough to give him a disquieting glare.

"Don't start. I've heard enough from the old man—I don't need it from you too." He tucked a pile of folded shirts into his bag and zipped it up. "There. Let's go."

"I'm just happy to see you so excited about something." Ammon followed him out into the hall.

"Do you think I'll make a good exorcist?" he asked. Something in his voice expressed doubt, but Ammon was confident with his answer.

"The best."

Rin paused and turned around to point accusingly at him. " _That_ is a load of bull."

Undaunted, Ammon laughed. "No, it's not. You may not realize it, but, once you pour your heart into something, nothing can stop you. Just look at how quickly you learned to cook. No one can make sukiyaki better than you now, Rin."

He smiled and continued to the main entrance, where Father Fujimoto was waiting for their ride. "You think I'll be better than Yukio one day?"

"One can only hope."

Before Rin had a chance to ask Ammon what he meant, Father Fujimoto pulled him into a rough hug. He dropped his bag and flailed helplessly against the man's powerful grip. " _Ack_! Get off of me, you old fart!"

"Never thought I'd see the day when you were ready before Yukio!" He ruffled Rin's hair with his free hand, much to the boy's dismay.

He shoved him away with an unhappy grumble and rearranged his hair. "Stop doing that! I'm not a kid anymore!"

"You're right." Father Fujimoto grinned affectionately, arms crossed against his chest. "I guess I have to start treating you like an adult."

"That's right!" Rin puffed out his chest and stood tall with confidence, (or was he just full of himself?) "And not just any adult—an exorcist!"

He laughed. "Nice try; but you've got a long way to go before you catch up to your little brother!"

All of Rin's confidence disappeared and his posture quickly deflated. As if on cue, Yukio walked up to them, bag in his hand and a red sword case slung over his shoulder. "Sorry I'm so late." He smiled. Ammon stepped back into the road to get away from the demonic seal.

"Whoa, is that a katana?" Rin gestured to the red case with an excited grin. "Do I get one?"

"Absolutely not!" Father Fujimoto pulled on Rin's earlobe, earning a surprised yelp. "I wouldn't trust you with a butter knife let alone a sword!"

He rubbed the pain away from his ear. "You trust me with knives when I cook!"

"That's different!"

"What!? No it's not!" He snarled. "I thought I was an adult! Adults get to have cool swords!"

"Only _responsible_ adults get cool swords!"

"You liar!"

"Um," Yukio timidly interrupted their little argument, "our ride is here."

Rin turned in time to watch a bright pink car fly up to the monastery at an incredible speed. It was headed directly toward Ammon, who was still standing idly on the side of the street. "H-hey! Look out!" The vehicle came to an abrupt stop, with half of Ammon's ghost-like body inside its hood. "Uhh, o-oh…" He always seemed to forget that Ammon's entire being was permeable.

The boy shrugged apologetically, and Rin buried his face in his hands to hide his embarrassment. Strangely, neither his brother nor Father Fujimoto commented on his random outburst.

Mephisto stepped out of his car, a wide, exuberant smile stretching his demonic features. "Ah, what a beautiful day! Perfect for a new beginning, no?"

Father Fujimoto shook his hand. "Thank you for agreeing to take Rin as well, Mephisto."

"Don't be so cordial, Shiro!" He waved away the priest's polite remark and then turned to the twins. "Have you two said your goodbyes? True Cross Academy is a boarding school—you'll only be able to return home on the holidays."

Rin shrugged. "I'm good. You?" He glanced at Yukio.

"Yes, I'm ready."

"Splendid! Then, let's be on our way. There's no time to waste!" He hopped back into his car and left the door open for them.

Rin picked up his discarded bag and hesitated. He placed it back down, and wrapped his arms around Father Fujimoto in a tight hug. "Thanks for everything, old man." Surprised by this sudden embrace, the man stood in stunned silence for a few extended seconds. He eventually returned the gesture, trying desperately to keep his emotions under control, at least until the boys were gone. "Are you tearing up?" Rin cocked a brow mockingly.

"Get out of here." Father Fujimoto pushed him toward the car weakly, and turned to offer Yukio the same emotional hug. "Make sure to get plenty of sleep; eat well and play hard. I'll keep your rooms tidy so you can always come back."

As the car began to drive off, Rin stuck his head out the open window and waved. "Bye, dad!"

Father Fujimoto choked back a sob and did his best to wave back. "Good luck out there you two…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Many thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter: **Suicide Forest** , **The hazel-eyed bookworm** , **Nekomimi-warrior** , **Shinigami of the Elder Gods** , **crazydutchy** , **SuperiorDimwit** , and **F4y**! I really appreciate it! (:

As suggested by Shinigami of the Elder Gods in a review, I have decided to change Purgatory to Sheol in the previous chapter to match with the other Hebrew names given to the various realms in this universe. If anyone has any other suggestions or ideas they'd like to see incorporated into the story, feel free to let me know in a review or PM!

* * *

 **Cram school wasn't nearly half** as exciting as Rin had originally hoped. Aside from discovering that Yukio was a teacher, the preliminary class was boring and uneventful, and Rin would have fallen asleep midway through if Ammon hadn't been there to prod him awake each time his eyes drooped shut. But, thankfully, it was over quickly, leaving the two to seek out their new home in the waning sunlight.

"Is this place abandoned or something? Where is everyone?" Rin glanced around for any sign of life, but the dormitory's halls were dark and empty.

"Here." Ammon stopped in front of a door and pointed.

"Is this it?" He unlocked the door with his key and flicked the lights on as he stepped in. "Aren't there other— _AHH_!" Rin jumped back in shock when his eyes drifted to Yukio, calmly seated at his new desk. "Y-you! What are _you_ doing here!?" Ammon walked in and peered over Rin's shoulder.

"Surprised?" Yukio smiled brightly. "Sir Pheles allowed us to room together."

Rin scrunched his face in suspicion. "Why?"

He almost seemed to hesitate. "Because I requested it."

"Are you kidding!?" His shoulders sagged in defeat. "What is this, prison? I thought I was finally gonna get away from you!"

Yukio chuckled lightly. "No, not quite. You want to be an exorcist, right? Then you can live with a few restrictions."

Rin's wounded expression quickly melted into a confident grin. "Just you wait, Yukio. One day _I'll_ be protecting _you_ from demons!"

"Right," he said, incredulous. "Just focus on today's homework for now."

He sputtered. "H-homework? There was homework?" Yukio stared at him in stupefied disbelief. Rin turned to Ammon. "Was there homework?"

Ammon sighed heavily. "I take back everything I said about you making an excellent exorcist."

"Aww, c-come on don't be like that! You got my spirits up and everything!"

"Rin," Yukio spoke firmly and pushed his glasses further up his nose, the reflection on his lenses obscuring his eyes. " _Please_ tell me you didn't bring that 'imaginary friend' nonsense with you."

"N-no, of course not! I-I was just... I have to unpack!" He scrambled to the other side of the room and buried himself in his things.

 **. . .**

Rin sniffled loudly and wiped the snot running down his nose on his sleeve. Ammon sat at his desk, idly flipping through the open book in front of him, a bored expression plastered on his face. Unlike back at the monastery, there was nothing of interest to see at the dormitory—just an endless number of empty, dusty rooms. He had tried exploring the surrounding area, but Yukio quickly called him back and scolded him for attempting to wander off on his own. Trapped and starved from a lack of nutrition, Ammon distracted himself from his hunger with the childish textbooks his master had left for Rin.

He winced as his stomach twisted painfully. Obviously, his meager distraction wasn't working. If only Yukio could just leave for a bit...but normal classes didn't start until tomorrow and, as far as he knew, his master had no business outside of the dormitory today.

Rin sniffled again, and Ammon passed him his black handkerchief. "This... I-it's so tragic!" He blew his nose loudly.

Irritated by his hunger, Ammon leaned down and, in a harsh whisper, spoiled the ending for him. "The Princess dies in the end right after saving her love from the clutches of death." He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Ammon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, disappointed in himself. It wasn't Rin's fault Yukio didn't give him leave to eat, so why was he taking it out on him?

Rin looked up, a hurt and horrified expression on his face. "... _You monster_." He pouted and tossed the manga down in childish frustration. "Damnit Ammon!"

"Rin, I'm really sorry; I just," he paused and sat on the edge of his bed, fatigued. "I haven't been feeling well lately."

"That's no excuse! I can't believe you did that to me!"

"Did what?" Yukio opened the door and walked into the room, surprised to still see his brother in bed well after noon. "Rin! What are you doing lying around? You should be studying!" He paused when his eyes fell to the book in his lap. "Is that my manga?"

He scrambled to grab it before his brother could snatch it up, but was too slow. "Hey! Give that back!"

"Did you even look at the material I left you?"

"Yeah, I tried," he gestured to the open book Ammon had been reading at his desk. "But they're for kids! I'm an adult! Even Father Fujimoto said so!"

"I'm not looking down on you, if that's what you're thinking." He crossed his arms, falling into teacher mode.

Rin glared and held out his hand. "Gimme the manga."

"No, it's mine." He turned away from Rin and reached out to grab his exorcist uniform. "You have the day off; why don't you study? You'll never be an exorcist if you just sit there reading manga—"

Rin was on his feet in an instant. "Are you going somewhere?"

Yukio paused and looked at him with a mixture of surprise and dread. "Yes. A request came in, and I've got to respond to it."

"Take me with you!" He grabbed his brother's sleeve, begging. "Come on, Yukio—you know I'm not the type to sit at a desk and study! I need the hands-on experience!"

"No!" He ripped his arm from Rin's grasp, almost furious that he had asked to accompany him.

"But—"

" _I said no_!" Both Rin and Ammon flinched at the sudden, angry edge to his voice. He clenched his fists and sighed, calming himself. "Stay here. I have some shopping to do after, so I'll be back by dinner." With that, he slipped on his uniform, grabbed the Kurikara from its spot by his closet, turned sharply on his heel, and left.

Rin sat on the edge of his bed with an annoyed huff. "He took the manga with him…"

Ammon followed Yukio to the door and peered down into the hall, watching his master disappear around the corner. Once he was gone, he straightened his cardigan and clapsed the two middle buttons. Rin watched him with a raised brow. He only fixed his sweater in this manner before he left to...do whatever it was he normally did when he wasn't hanging around the twins.

"Are you going to abandon me too?"

"Of course not." Ammon frowned at him. "I do have something that I need to take care of, but I'll be back as soon as I'm finished. It shouldn't take long."

He groaned, despondent, and fell back into his bed. "Fine! Leave! They all do." He pretended to sniff and wiped at his face with the handkerchief.

"Don't be so dramatic, Rin." He paused in the doorway, reconsidering. "Would you like to come with me?"

Rin perked up. "R-really!?"

Ammon nodded with a small, hesitant smile. "To apologize for spoiling the ending to your manga."

"Awesome!" He hopped out of bed and quickly pulled on a clean pair of jeans.

His smile slowly disappeared as he watched Rin fuss with his messy hair. "You won't like it…" he said softly.

"Pfft," he waved his hand dismissively. "I'm sure I've seen worse."

"Maybe."

 **. . .**

He stopped outside the building Ammon had led them to and crossed his arms, disappointed. He was hoping for something dangerous—like a haunted mansion or an abandoned junkyard—but this was all just a bit too... _normal_ for him, (especially considering he had been brought here by his invisible friend.)

"A cafe? Really?" He raised a brow at Ammon, who merely shrugged.

"I hear they have great oolong tea. Why don't you try some?"

"I can't believe you dragged me all the way out here for a cup of tea." He shook his head and made his way in.

"Let's sit here. It has a good view of the street." Ammon gestured over to a table beside a large window. Rin complied and sat down. "You should order some cake, too." He tilted his head at an awkward angle to read the small menu displayed at the end of their table. "Maybe tiramisu? That sounds good."

Rin stared at him as he examined the menu. In all the years he had known Ammon, he had never seen him eat or drink anything. So then, why bring him to a cafe? It seemed pointless to Rin. "Do you eat?"

Ammon's head snapped up in surprise. "What? Why would you ask that?"

"I've never seen you eat before, so why did you bring me to a cafe?"

"You'll see."

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you going to do that wing thing again?"

Ammon looked up, a strange light glinting in his deep, yellow eyes. "Do you want me to?"

"I wouldn't mind," he shrugged, "it was pretty cool."

"It didn't frighten you?" Rin shook his head. He forced a smile. "I'm glad."

The two lapsed into a comfortable silence. After ordering his tea and cake, Rin feigned interest in the people outside the cafe. Impatient businessmen hurried across the street, excited children pulled their mother's hand, a couple, arm in arm, stopped to smile at each other. He watched all of it with a dull expression. It was relaxing, but, even so, he wished he was doing something more exciting, like exorcising that horned demon that attacked him the other day. He would have a cool sword, just like Yukio, and a neat uniform too, and _everyone_ would be impressed with his skill.

Rin quickly lost himself in a daydream, and almost missed witnessing the incident that had brought them there.

A girl was struck by a speeding vehicle.

Everything seemed to slow down as he watched, like he was seeing a movie being played in slow-motion. She was casually crossing the street, phone pressed to her ear, gesticulating angrily as she argued with the person on the other end, when, suddenly, the high-pitched sound of screeching tires made her pause. She looked up from her conversation and was knocked off her feet by a car as it tried to come to a stop. Her body bounced off the window, blood spraying over the cracks, and she landed with a sick _thud_ a few feet behind the car.

The man who was driving immediately scrambled out to check on her, but it was obvious he was too late.

Rin and the other customers who had caught glimpses of the accident jumped to their feet, crowding around the window to see what had happened. Screams and panicked shouts came from nearby witnesses, snapping him out of his dreamlike state and proving that this was all too real. Ammon placed a hand over Rin's to calm him. He stared at his friend, his mouth slightly agape, and a desperate, questioning look on his face. "It's alright," he said softly. "All things eventually come to an end."

He walked out into the street, passing through the window as if it wasn't really there, and dropped to his knees beside the fallen girl's head. He said something—Rin could see his mouth move but couldn't make out any distinct words—and then his black, feathery wings exploded into existence. Anchored on his back just below his shoulder blades, his wings curved down, tips brushing gently against the asphalt, covering the two.

Ammon bent down and kissed her. A moment of tense silence passed, and then his wings vanished and he returned to the cafe. Rin continued to stare at him, dumbfounded and uncertain what to make of everything. Ammon's cheeks were tinted with a faint pink, a lively sheen coated his black hair, and everything about him seemed to heat up and spring to life.

He seemed to, in one brief moment, transform from a walking corpse into a healthy, living being; just like those pigeons.

Only then did it all fall into place for Rin—the color suddenly staining his face, his complaints of feeling unwell, why he was so eager to leave as soon as Yukio was gone, and why he never saw Ammon eat or drink.

Eventually, he flopped back into his seat and lowered his eyes to his cooling drink. "Still think it's cool, Rin?"

"Is that...how you eat?" He slowly raised his eyes to Ammon's. "How come you never told me?"

He smoothed his bangs with his fingertips and smiled, wistful and distant and almost sad. "Drink your tea before it gets cold."

Rin picked up his cup and sipped it. It was lukewarm, but passable. "You should've told me you were a vampire; I could've handled it."

"V-vampire? You think…I'm a _vampire_?" He stared at the boy dumbly for a moment, and then burst into laughter. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes and he held his sides, trying futilely to control his raging fit.

"What!? What's so funny!?"

Ammon's laughter quickly died and the serious mood of the cafe consumed them. Rin watched the panicked scene unfolding across the street, his eyes distant. "Ammon... Does it hurt?"

"Does what hurt?" His voice was slow and hesitant, as if he knew what he meant but didn't want to give a proper response.

"When...you eat..."

He didn't reply for a long while. Finally, Rin turned his troubled gaze to him, and he answered. "I don't know. I can't imagine having your soul removed hurts any more than getting hit by a car."

"What happens to them? Where do they go? Is there an afterlife for people who die like that? Do they—"

Ammon snapped his head to Rin, his expression suddenly hard. "That's _enough_!" He was taken aback, startled by his friend's uncharacteristic ferocity. "I'm sorry, Rin," he sighed and relaxed. "I didn't mean to attack you like that...but... Some things are best kept secret." His smile returned, though faint. "Just know that they are no longer suffering." Rin turned back to the window, brow scrunched in thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Hey! You should be familiar with my routine by now lol. Thank you to those who reviewed: **FlowerFoxWings** , **Shinigami of the Elder Gods** , and **ukatO Otaku**! I am very grateful to all of you! (And of course thanks to those who read but are to shy to review!)

I do want to apologize for not updating any of my other stories. Harbinger is very easy to write (because I only have to come up with Ammon's parts) and each time I sit down to write for something else I just feel... _ugh_. That's it, just _ugh_. I'm sure most of you know what that feels like. Anyway, I'm not going to lie, this chapter is boring. I tried to make it cute but... _ugh_.

* * *

 **The next day, at the** start of cram school, Yukio brought in a beautiful young girl dressed modestly in traditional clothing. Her kimono was a light shade of blue with white accents and pink flowers, bringing out the color of her blonde hair and the excitement sparkling in her green eyes. Rin felt his face heat up as he stared.

"This is Shiemi Moriyama, our newest classmate," Yukio introduced.

"P-pleased to meet you!" She bowed stiffly.

"Why don't you sit beside Okumura for now?" She nodded and followed his gesture to the table at the front where Rin sat alone.

Ammon stood from the chair his master had assigned her and moved, unseen, to Rin's left. He cast a quick, curious glance back at the trio of boys behind them. "H-hello!" Shiemi greeted Rin shyly. "You're Yuki's brother, right? I'm Shiemi." She held out her hand to him.

His blush deepened. "Uhh… R-Rin." He smiled his usual, goofy smile and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you!"

 **. . .**

Throughout their various classes over the week, Rin noticed that Ammon continually looked back at the guy with the cool hair. Consequently, he noticed that the guy with the cool hair shot him short, menacing glares each time they made eye contact. But Rin prided himself on his maturity now. Once, he would've glared back and started a fight with a guy like this, but not anymore. Rin was an adult; and not just any adult, but an exorcist! One day soon he was going to be cooler than that guy's hair and all the girls would—

"Okumura!" He flinched at the sound of his brother's voice. "Pay attention—I'm going to hand back your quizzes now."

"Q-quizzes?" He leaned toward Shiemi. "What quizzes?"

She frowned at him. "The one where we had to name plants, remember?"

No, he didn't. "O-oh, uhh, right..."

"Anyway," her face brightened with excitement, "I'm sure I did well! I'm good at this subject""

"Because of that awesome garden you have, right?" Rin smiled. From what little he had discovered about her, (mostly from harassing Yukio), she worked tirelessly on a large garden that her and her grandmother cherished before her grandmother had tragically passed away.

She nodded repeatedly. " _And_ I run the supply shop when Mom's busy!"

"...Maybe I could, y'know, come over and see it some time?" But, to his dismay, Rin was ignored.

"Moriyama."

"Y-yes!" She clambered to her feet as soon as Yukio called her name and went to fetch her test.

Her eagerness vanished when she saw the failing grade circled in red. "Making up names for plants is alright," Yukio said, trying to reassure her, "but not on quizzes. Otherwise, you would have been perfect." She muttered in blank acknowledgment and returned to her seat.

"What happened!?" Rin did his best not to laugh at her baffled expression, but couldn't help himself. "I thought you were good at this subject!"

Thankfully, she didn't hear him. "Okumura." His laughter was cut short by Yukio's voice.

" _Urk_!" He tentatively met Yukio's harsh glare as he held the test out in front of him. "A… _two_!?"

"I feel sick to my stomach. How can you expect to be an exorcist with grades like _this_?" He placed it down on his desk and called the next student up.

"Aww man..." Rin lowered his head in shame.

He felt a warm hand on his shoulder. "Don't feel too bad about it, Rin." Ammon smiled down at him. "Everyone learns differently—you just need more time to find what works best for you." He idly shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I don't know much about demons, but I can help you study each day. It might help you pass a test or two."

"Ugh." Rin cringed at the thought of studying.

"Wow; I couldn't do _that bad_ if I tried."

"Huh!?"

The guy with the cool hair glared at him as he walked by. "Maybe if you spent more time paying attention instead of flirting, you'd do better."

"Wha!?" He turned to Ammon, angry, but still kept his voice to a low whisper. It was something he did out of habit now, rather than necessity. "Did you hear that? What an asshole!"

But Ammon wasn't listening anymore. He watched the guy with the cool hair intently, eyes glinting mischievously with interest, cheeks a faint shade of pink, and a small smile brightening his features. His expression looked almost endearing. Rin followed his gaze back to the front of the room, trying to discern what it was that had so completely captured his attention. He couldn't see anything interesting.

"Well done, Suguro."

Suguro turned around and flashed his almost perfect score at Rin. "Heh, see?" He smirked.

"W-what!?" Rin jumped out of his seat. "How did a guy like _you_ get ninety-eight points!?"

"What do you mean ' _a guy like me_ '!?" he growled. "Unlike _you_ , I came to this school to be an exorcist!"

"So did I!" he shot back, clenching his fists. Who did this guy think he was? "What gives you the right to criticize me!?"

"You're always sleeping!" His two friends grabbed him by his shoulders to keep him from getting physical. "If you're not going to take class seriously, then just leave!"

"Shut up! I'm trying my hardest! I just haven't found what works for me yet!"

Yukio pulled his brother away to diffuse their argument. "Yes, yes, Rin; we all know you're trying _so_ hard."

He snatched his arm out of his brother's grasp, enraged by his sarcastic remark. "Who's side are you on!?"

"Suguro's." Yukio smiled gently and Rin lost all his confidence in that instant. Before he had a chance to respond, a short, musical chime echoed through the room, indicating the end of class. "That's all for today," Yukio announced. "And, Rin," he turned to his brother with a darkening expression. "Don't forget your homework this time."

Rin grumbled in annoyance and shoved his hands in his pockets. "He sure is respectable, isn't he?" Ammon moved to stand beside him, but couldn't tear his eyes from Suguro.

"Ammon!" He pouted. "Not you too!"

Ammon laughed lightly. "But… He's cute."

Rin made a sour face. "Stop giggling like a school girl—it's creepy!"

 **. . .**

Rin didn't have to attend the horror that was high school, (at least for now), so he often ate lunch before cram school classes in the small courtyard the Academy provided specifically for exorcists. It was open and empty, with little for decorations save for a fountain used as a centerpiece. Second and third year exorcist students walked by, probably headed to their next class, but none of them were even slightly interested in Rin's presence. He sat on the large, concrete base of the fountain alone, (sort of), and enjoyed a simple meal of salted beef strips and rice.

Ammon watched him from the second tier, water trickling down thin pathways carved into the stone under his legs. It didn't seem to bother him. "You should eat more vegetables during the day," he said, rousing Rin from his usual daydreaming. "Red beets and broccoli would be particularly good for you."

He scowled in disgust. "What are you, my mom? You know I hate broccoli." He shoved another strip of meat into his mouth and chewed with delight.

They quickly fell into a comfortable silence, as they often did when they were together, the only sound the footsteps of those that walked pass and the soft clink of Rin's metal chopsticks.

Ammon looked up, gazing wistfully at the light blue sky that humans so often took for granted. A few stretched clouds rolled by. "It's a beautiful day today isn't it?"

Rin followed his gaze, but wasn't interested. "Hey... What's it like eating people? Do you, like...chew them?"

"C-chew them!?" He had never heard it described so morbidly before, but he knew Rin didn't mean anything offensive by it. "Um, well..." he started, uncomfortable. "Spirits aren't very big, so they're swallowed whole." He hesitated, searching for the right words to describe his thoughts. "They feel...warm. When you swallow it, it fills your whole body with a warm, soothing sensation."

"So it's kinda like drinking hot tea?"

Ammon had never drank tea before, so he wouldn't know. "Maybe."

"Does it have a taste?" He took another bite of his lunch.

Ammon wasn't very pleased by all these questions, but answered nonetheless. "Not usually. Children can be sweet, while older souls can tend to be bitter depending on how they were killed."

"What about demon souls?" he asked, mouth full of food.

"Swallow your food before you talk." Rin rolled his eyes. "...We're not supposed to eat demon souls. They're rotten, and some of the more powerful ones can make us sick."

"Then why did you eat that one demon?"

"To protect you."

Rin stopped and lowered his chopsticks. It had never occurred to him that Ammon would go so far just to keep him safe. "You don't have to do that, you know," he muttered.

"I know." He could hear the smile in Ammon's voice. "But I want to."

He suddenly felt heavy with guilt. One day, he was going to be stronger, and would no longer have to rely on Yukio or Ammon to protect him. He only wished that day would arrive sooner.

" _Tch_." Having lost his appetite, Rin replaced the cover to his bento and set it aside. He stretched his arms above his head and, for the slightest second, considered making his way to the classroom early to study, but the thought was wiped from his mind when he noticed Shiemi enter the courtyard through a nearby door. He scrambled to straighten his posture and make himself presentable. " _Psst_ , Ammon, how do I look?" he asked, grinning with excitement, their previous conversation quickly forgotten.

Ammon sighed at his sudden change, though not unkindly. "Good. Don't say anything stupid."

Rin took in a deep, confident breath, and then waved at her. "S-Shiemi, over here!" She smiled brightly and jogged over to him as quick as her kimono would allow her.

"Rin! I'm glad I found you! I, um," she paused and pressed her fingers together nervously. "I want to...ask you something...if it's okay..."

"Sure." He patted the empty spot beside him. She sat down and Rin could feel his face grow hot with anticipation. "So, uhh... What is it?" He leaned closer to her, awkwardly aware of every move he made. She had a faint, flowery scent around her.

"I, um," she stopped again and looked down at her hands. "D-do you have...any friends?" She turned to him and looked up into his eyes.

"Y-you mean like g-girlfriends?" His blush deepened and his heart pounded. Ammon smiled mischievously at them—they were adorable together.

"I-it's just...um... R-Rin! I-I think..." She got on her knees and inched closer to him in her excitement to spit out whatever it was she wanted to say. He scooted back slightly, surprised by her bold movements. "I think...you and I...w-we should—"

At that moment, before she could finish her embarrassed rambling, Ammon walked behind her and gently bumped into her hip, causing her to fall forward into Rin's arms. She yelped in surprise and landed face-first into his chest. He held onto her for a moment, reveling in how soft and warm she felt pressed against him. He swallowed hard, his entire face burning a bright red, his breath shallow and shaky, and carefully eased her back. She raised her head and looked into his eyes, a light shade of pink dusting her cheeks.

"R-Rin, I..." They stayed like that for a moment, staring nervously at each other, neither knowing what to do or say. Ammon was almost tempted to push the girl again, just to make them kiss and get it over with. But, though he wasn't widely known for his decency, he knew when enough was enough.

Instead, he nudged Rin with his elbow, bringing him back to reality. "Uh! I-I, uh... _AHH_!" He scrambled to move away from her and fell off the edge of the fountain into the shallow ring of water below.

"Rin! Are you okay?" She reached down to help him, but he jumped to his feet and stepped back.

"S-Sorry, Shiemi, I-I... _I have to go_!" He turned and ran, using the magical cram school key on the nearest door he could find.

Shiemi sighed, disappointed in herself, and sat alone on the fountain's base. She would never make friends if she continued to make a fool of herself like this. Ammon, noticing the all too familiar feelings radiating from her, regarded her with a kindly pity.

"Cheer up," he smiled, even though he was fully aware she couldn't see or hear him. "Things will get better soon. Hey, how about I show you something neat?" He placed his open palm on the top of her head, and did a little magic trick. It was one he had performed many times before on both Rin and Yukio, and even once on Shiro.

Humans were sensitive to their emotions and often had them on display within easy grasp, making it much easier for him. He scoured her mind for what was bothering her, (in this case it was distress and self-pity), and brought it into himself, exchanging it with some of his confidence. He was no stranger to combating lonesomeness, and the sensations he pulled from her quickly evaporated within him, leaving a more confident, relaxed Shiemi and a slightly anxious Ammon. She glanced around, searching for the source of her sudden, uplifted mood, but the courtyard was empty.

"I'm not supposed to do that," he told her with a shrug, "but I don't think anyone will mind. Let's just keep it a secret between us, okay?" Knowing he would never get an answer, he sat next to her and turned his gaze back to the sky. "Sometimes it's enough just knowing someone out there feels the same as you do; don't you agree?" She relaxed beside him and, together, they watched the clouds roll by.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Ammon does not have a romantic interest in Bon (it's more like a passing crush) so there will be no CanonXOC. As for Rin and Shiemi...I'm not sure yet. I don't think I want to deal with pairings in this story but we'll see.

Now, before I end off this chapter I would like to recommend another Blue Exorcist story to everyone. It's called **Paradise Acquired** and its written by **Shinigami of the Elder Gods**. It's a retelling of canon (much like Harbinger) that explores what would happen if Rin was actually Satan rather than his spawn. And, like the title implies, it has bits and pieces of _Paradise Lost_ by John Milton hewn in it. And if that wasn't enough, Rin is a total badass in it, which is always fun to read! It's a fantastic story and I think many readers who enjoy Harbinger will also enjoy Paradise Acquired. If you're interested, you can find it in my favorites or you can search the author's name.

Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Thanks to my two reviewers: **The hazel-eyed bookworm** and **Ichigo15kurosaki**! Unfortunately, I won't be making Ammon and Rin a pair. The reason is because Ammon has been with Rin since he was a child and basically watched him grow up, and I feel like it's kinda creepy for him to take a romantic interest in Rin.

Updates will start being weekly from here on out (because I'm running out of pre-written chapters to post heheheh) Thanks to everyone for all your support!

* * *

 **Practical Training proved to be** far more interesting than anything the cram school students had witnessed so far. Still furious at Rin from their argument, Suguro pushed his body to its limit in an attempt to prove he was better than a slacker. But Rin was surprisingly fast, (for someone who laid in bed all day), and easily pulled ahead each time it seemed like Suguro would finally catch up.

Both boys had quickly forgotten about the giant, frog demon chasing them. As a result, Ammon stood in the center of the arena, below the cages holding sleeping demons, prepared for the moment when Rin did something stupid.

"What's wrong, slow-poke?" Rin glanced over his shoulder with a grin. "Brains won't help you in a fight!"

Suguro clenched his jaw hard and, with a last burst of strength, lunged forward and landed a swift kick to Rin's lower back. He went down with a surprised yelp, landing face-first. " _Hah_! How's _that_ for a fight!?" He smirked and placed his hands on his knees, breathless.

"What do you two think you're doing!?" Suguro glanced up at their instructor and was startled by the sight of the charging demon, its mouth open to snap him up.

"Yikes!" He turned to run, but, exhausted from his skirmish with Rin, tripped and fell. " _AHH_!"

The instructor immediately pulled on one of the levers at his side, forcing the long chain attached to the Leaper's collar to wrap around the winch, jerking the demon back a few feet to a safer distance. Suguro looked up and let out a relieved sigh. "This isn't a sparring arena!" he scolded loudly. "Are you trying to get yourselves killed!?"

Rin struggled to his feet with a pained groan. "Y-yeah, what are _you_ trying to do?"

" _Me_!?" Suguro was on his feet now. " _You're_ the one who started this!"

"Huh!?" He couldn't believe what he had just heard. " _You_ came up to _me_ and accused me of sleeping! (Which I wasn't—I was resting my eyes!) You're just mad because I proved I'm better than you, Mr. High-and-Mighty-Ninety-Eight-Points!"

Suguro lost his resolve and threw a punch. Rin feigned to his left and retaliated with a swift right hook. None of their blows hit, but they continued to swing at each other regardless. "I don't believe this." The teacher descended the ladder next to Ammon and stormed over to break up their fight. He grabbed Rin roughly by his shoulders and separated them. "What is it with you two!?"

Suguro's two companions, (what were their names?), came down to assist the instructor and calm their enraged friend. Eventually, they stopped fighting, each boy out of breath. Ammon stood beside Rin and sighed wistfully. "He has great legs, doesn't he?"

Rin looked at Ammon, face scrunched up in utter disgust. "Dude, gross."

"Mr. Suguro!" The teacher gestured for him to follow. "Come with me."

"Uhh... A-am I in trouble?" He didn't say anything and quietly led Suguro to the other end of the arena.

Rin watched them with a muted glare. "What an asshole."

"Hey, cut him some slack." Suguro's pink-haired friend smiled warmly at him. "Bon's pretty stubborn, but he came here with a goal he takes really seriously."

"What do you mean?"

"He says he wants to become an exorcist to 'defeat Satan'. Ridiculous, huh?" He snorted.

Rin noticed Ammon visibly tense up at the mention of Satan. "Wait, so Satan _actually exists_?"

He stared blankly at Rin, stunned by his obliviousness. "You're not very bright, are you?" He shrugged innocently.

"Actually," Suguro's bald friend spoke up next, "Bon is trying to restore the reputation of our temple. Everything went downhill after the 'Blue Night'. He thinks defeating Satan will bring the temple's followers back."

That was an ambitious goal for someone so young. Rin snuck a glance at Suguro, still conversing with the teacher. He suddenly had a newfound respect for him.

"The 'Blue Night'?" Ammon placed a hand over his mouth, lost in thought, and began muttering something to himself.

Rin echoed his curiosity and turned back to his two classmates. "What's the 'Blue Night'?"

"Man, you _really_ don't get out often, do you?"

He glared at the pink-haired boy. "Hey, I'm new at this!"

"It's okay," the shorter boy smiled warmly at him. "The 'Blue Night' refers to the slaughter of powerful clergymen by the demon lord Satan."

"S-slaughter?" The word made him nervous.

He nodded. "He attacked our temple, too. Bon's father, Ossama—that's what we call him—was a monk at the temple when it happened." Ammon stepped forward, a troubled expression darkening his face, intensely interested in the tale. "Sixteen years ago, powerful monks suddenly started bleeding from every orifice. They spewed blue fire from their mouths and eyes, and then died."

The pink-haired boy interrupted him. "Blue fire is the mark of Satan."

"Wow, that's vicious..."

He continued. "Ossama was still in training at the time. He hid in the corner of the temple until morning. Eventually, he took over, but...because of what happened—the fire and the deaths—everyone thought the temple was cursed. It lost patrons and visitors, and then the temple fell out of use."

Rin didn't know what to say. There was so much he didn't know and so much he didn't understand. He glanced over at Ammon, who was staring into the distance with a blank expression.

"Oh, they're back." He turned as Suguro and the instructor approached them. "Did you get into trouble?"

"Shut up, Shima," he spat.

"Alright, boys, head back up with the others." The teacher tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the four of them to climb the ladder. "Listen up!" Once everyone was on the platform that surrounded the arena, he raised his hand above his head to draw attention to himself. "We're going to take a break!"

"Huh?"

"Why?"

He didn't offer any explanation. "Leapers are generally a peaceful demon, but they'll attack you if they don't like what you're thinking. Stay out of the arena and don't go within range of its chain, got it?" Without waiting for a response, he turned and dashed out of the room. "I'm coming, my little kitty!"

"Wh-what the hell did he just say?"

"It's his wife." Rin looked at Ammon, who somehow knew why their teacher had run off. "She's pregnant. It's a girl!"

"Oh..." That would explain why he was in such a hurry.

Suguro, on the other hand, didn't seem at all pleased to have a break. "What kind of teacher just runs off in the middle of class?" He clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth in an annoyed manner. "And the students suck too!" He turned his anger onto Rin once again.

"What's your problem?" He snapped back, his patience running thin.

"My problem is that _you're_ not serious!"

"Just get over it already! You don't know me; and you don't know how serious I am!"

"Bon, don't you think you should stop?"

He shot a disquieting glare at his pink-haired friend. "I've got an idea." He pointed to the Leaper below them. "Prove how serious you are!"

"Huh? How?" Rin followed his finger, but didn't understand.

"Go down there and touch the Leaper. They react violently to sensitive emotions like anger and fear. If you're going to be such a _fantastic_ exorcist, then you won't be afraid of a frog, right? Come back without a scratch and I'll accept that you're serious." Rin narrowed his eyes. "I'll do it too, after you chicken out, and I'll win!"

He stared at Suguro blankly for a while. "...Are you really that dumb?"

"What did you just call me?" He ground his teeth in frustration.

"I called you dumb," he said firmly. "A _real_ exorcist knows not to get hurt over something so stupid. I don't have to prove anything to you; I know I'm serious and that's all that matters."

"Wow, Rin—when did you get so mature?" Ammon smiled brightly at him. He really was growing up.

Suguro, unfortunately, wasn't as impressed. "You… You're just scared!" Rin shrugged, uncaring. " _Fine_! _I'll_ do it! You wait here, _coward_!" He slid down the slope of the platform into the arena, ignoring the protests of his friends.

"What an idiot."

The purple-haired girl scoffed. "He'll chicken out too, just watch."

"Aww," Ammon shook his head slowly. "Poor thing."

"Huh?" Rin raised a brow at him, wondering why Ammon would sympathize with someone who would jeopardize the life of another just to prove a point.

"He's trying so hard," he explained, "but everyone—even his friends and family—keep pushing him down. They laugh at him. No one will take him seriously, and it's frustrating him. He just wants someone to support him, to believe in his goal."

"So," he turned back to watch as Suguro approached the Leaper, "should I let him go up and touch it?"

"He's upset—it's going to attack him."

" _What_!? Why didn't you say something sooner?" Ever the valiant hero, Rin sprang into action and slid down to the pit. Ammon followed close behind.

"H-hey, Rin, where are you going!?" Shiemi called out to him, but didn't dare move from her spot.

" _Stop_!" Rin ran, waving his arms in a desperate attempt to get his attention. "It's going to attack you!"

But it was too late.

Sensing his heightened stress, the Leaper roared and leaped forward. It grabbed Suguro in its mouth and bit down hard on his chest, breaking most of his ribs in an instant. One of the girls screamed, but Rin was too focused to know who it was. He ran up to the demon and, without a second thought, plunged his hands into its mouth, forcing its jaw apart slowly.

"Let go of him!" he cried, staring directly into the Leaper's large eyes. "I said… _let go_!"

With an unexpected burst of strength, Rin managed to pry the frog's mouth open. It spat Suguro out, and he landed on the ground with a lifeless _thud_. He rolled onto his back, pawing his chest helplessly and struggling to breathe.

"Hey!" Rin dropped to his knees. "Are you okay? W-what do I do!?" He panicked; he wasn't suited for these situations unlike Yukio. "Uhh… Umm…" He reached down, thinking he could help get Suguro to his feet so they could find help, but he shook his head.

"Don't… My ribs…"

He frantically looked around for Ammon. "A-Ammon!? Do something!"

Ammon kneeled down near Suguro's head and gently placed his hand on the boy's chest. "More than half his ribs are broken. It looks like his left lung is pierced too."

"Is he going to die?"

He smiled to calm Rin. "No; the human body is more resilient than it looks. But I can fix him. Is that what you want?" He nodded quickly. "Okay. Don't tell anyone I did this, deal?"

"J-just help him!"

Ammon bent over Suguro and took his head gently in his hands. "This might burn a bit—try to relax." Without pulling his wings out, he leaned down and kissed him. Rin watched with agitated curiosity. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen.

And then Suguro bolted upright with a startled gasp, like he had just emerged from underwater. "Wha…!?" He looked around him, searching for something.

"H-hey!" Rin grabbed the sides of his head and forced them to make eye contact. "Are you okay!?"

"…I saw something."

"H-huh?" Had he seen Ammon? "W-what do you mean?" Rin released him.

"I saw something." He placed a hand to his head and winced, almost as if it hurt to remember. "Something black… It spoke to me."

"What… What did it say?"

"Uhh…?" Suguro patted his chest with his hands, surprised to find that he had been miraculously healed. "What happened?" He looked to Rin for answers.

"You…don't remember?"

"I remember coming down to touch the Leaper, and then…" his voice trailed off.

"Bon!" His two friends ran over to him, quickly followed by Yukio. "We found Mr. Okumura! Is everything okay?"

Yukio crouched down beside Suguro, examining him for any signs of blood or injury. "Are you hurt, Suguro?"

"N-no, I'm fine… I think."

He wasn't convinced. "Come with me to the infirmary. Everyone else, outside! And where is your teacher!?"

 **. . .**

Suguro was shocked to find Rin waiting outside the door to the infirmary as he was leaving. "Uh, hey." He pushed away from the wall he was leaning on and stood awkwardly in front of him.

"What? Are you here to gloat?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Um, actually, my friend wanted me to tell you something."

Ammon nudged him, forcing him to take a small step forward. "Go on, Rin! Just like I said!"

"You have _friends_?" Suguro snorted and raised a brow.

"Yes, I have friends!"

"…So, what did they want?"

"Um…" He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously and looked toward Ammon, who urged him to continue with a quick gesture. "He wanted me to tell you that…we'll support you."

"Huh?"

Rin sighed in defeat. He was going to have to say all of it. "Look, your goal isn't childish or stupid. It's cool."

"No, honorable!" Ammon whined. "Say honorable!"

He struggled to keep his expression serious. "And honorable. It takes a lot of courage to have an ambition as big as you do, and to hold on to it even though everyone around you keeps putting you down."

Suguro was taken aback. "How…?"

"I'll never laugh at you or make fun of you for doing what you believe in. I know you can kick Satan's ass if you try hard enough. And I'm going to be right here to help you. So…let's just put this silly rivalry behind us and start over, alright?"

"Are you coming on to me?"

" _No_!" he screamed. This was all Ammon's fault. "I'm trying to be nice to you!"

"Okay, then…here." He pulled a long, silver hairpin out of his bag and held it out to him. "I've noticed your bangs keep getting in your face when you try to study. Sometimes I use this to hold my hair back. You can have it."

Rin accepted it, surprised by his generosity. "Thanks."

"Now we're even." Suguro turned and walked away toward the dormitories.

"C-can I have that?" Ammon pointed eagerly to the hairpin in his hand.

"No! He gave it to _me_!"

"But it was _my_ idea!" He tried to grab it, but Rin snatched it back before he could. "Give it!"

"It's mine!" He took off in a mad dash, leaving a despondent Ammon alone in the hallway.

"Rin, that's not fair!" He pouted like a child and ran after him.

 **. . .**

The sun was sinking behind the horizon of buildings when Mephisto's little brother finally decided to show up. He didn't speak as the King of Earth approached, too busy gazing down at the beauty of his personal playground. Amaimon stood waiting on the scaffolding with his brother, eyes cast over the city, wondering what it was about Assiah that fascinated the King of Time.

"Brother," he said finally, his tone impatient. "Sorry I'm late."

"Long time, no see, Amaimon," Mephisto greeted without turning, offering him only the slightest bit of acknowledgement.

Being ignored always irritated him, but he wasn't foolish enough to demand attention from his older brother. "Yeah...it's been almost sixteen years..."

"And?" Mephisto finally locked eyes with him, a sinister smile twisting his face. "How did Father reply?"

"He accepts your proposal," Amaimon responded carefully.

"Splendid!" He turned back to his city. "Tell him I've taken our two youngest brothers under my wing, and that everything is going well."

"Understood."

"And hurry back. Neuhaus will let you into the Academy through the underground entrance, but he won't be there for long, so don't keep him waiting."

Amaimon turned his gaze to True Cross Town, watching with disinterest as the lights inside the buildings came to life, chasing away the darkness of night. "I still don't fully understand what you want me to do."

"Oh come now, little brother—were you not paying attention?" The King of Earth shrugged and Mephisto sighed in response. "There is a shadow following the oldest of the twins. I want you to trail him for a while and figure out what it is."

"That's all?"

"It may prove to be more difficult than you think." Mephisto smirked at him. "Oh, and, Amaimon? Try not to destroy my property."

"No promises." He turned and leapt off the unfinished building, leaving his older brother there to admire his glowing city.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed: **FlowerFoxWings** , **Ichigo15kurosaki** , **Shinigami of the Elder Gods** , and **SuperiorDimwit**!

And super special thanks to **SuperiorDimwit** who offered suggestions to some changes I could make in the previous chapters! One of the biggest edits I did was adding a few extra lines to the end of chapter 4. For those who don't want to head back and read it: Rin asks Ammon what happens to the souls he eats, and Ammon responds by telling him 'some things are best kept secret'. If anyone has any other suggestions for previous or future chapters, please feel free to share! Your feedback makes this story that much better.

I'm posting this chapter early because I'm not sure if I can get on to update during the weekend. The second Harbinger is introduced at the end, so hopefully this proves to be more interesting than the previous two chapters.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

* * *

 **"Today, we will be summoning** demons." The teacher completed the circle of his diagram and stepped back, placing his large compass onto a special latch on his belt. It dangled at his side like a sheathed sword. "Summoning requires blood from the Tamer and the correct invocation." He tightened a loose bandage wrapped around his hand, forcing blood to emerge from a concealed wound. Droplets splattered on the floor inside the circle. Small tendrils of steam curdled from them, as if they were being boiled. "Son of Typhon and Echidna, hear my call. Come forth!" A black hand jutted from the center of the circle, and a ghoul pulled itself out of the ground. A thick, rotten scent suddenly filled the room.

"Wow, cool!" Rin's face lit up with excitement.

"I've never seen a naberius before." Bon made a sour face and pinched his nose. "It stinks..."

"Only those with a strong spirit and an inborn ability can summon familiars to do their bidding." The teacher paced slowly in front of his circle, meeting each of his student's gazes in turn. "We're going to see if any of you here have that ability." He held up a small scrap of paper with a summoning circle on it. "Drip your blood on the magic circles I handed out earlier and chant whatever comes to mind." He stepped back to watch them.

Rin stared down at his paper and tapped his chin with the small needle, trying to think of something witty and clever to say. Across from him, the girl with the purple hair, (Kamiki, right?), held out two identical circles. "Inari, I humbly beseech thee," she started, her voice rising in volume as she continued, "to grant my request!"

Two, beautiful, ivory foxes appeared beside her in a burst of white smoke, swirling around their master playfully, waiting for her command. She grinned triumphantly as the class marveled at her success. "Well done." The teacher complimented her and moved on.

"That's so cool, Kamiki!" Rin could hardly contain himself. Everyone here was so talented. "You must be really strong!"

"Of course," she flipped a pigtail behind her shoulder. "I have the blood of shrine maidens in me."

"My turn! My turn!" Rin immediately turned to Ammon. "Can I summon you?"

He nodded. "Anyone can summon me; all you have to do is say the Act of Resignation, either in your head or out loud."

"Okay!" He placed his pricked finger on the paper and, after a moment of thought, began his chant. "Um... Oh Lord, I accept death cheerfully...and stuff." He looked down expectantly, but nothing happened. "Is this thing broken?"

"That's _not_ how it goes!" Ammon said sharply, offended.

"Huh? It's not?" He scratched his head in confusion. How did it go again? Something about cheerful death, right?

"Honestly, Rin," he sighed, "your class just studied it yesterday."

"I-I know that!" Instead of embarrassing himself by asking Ammon to recite the prayer, he walked over to Bon, who was staring, forlorn, at his own summoning circle. "Hey, Bon!"

"I told you—it's Suguro!" he snapped, baring his teeth in anger. "Only my friends call me Bon!"

He waved a hand dismissively. "Right; Bon—that's what I said. So do you remember how the Act of Resignation goes?"

Bon raised a brow suspiciously. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because you're smart."

He couldn't deny that. "What do you need the Act of Resignation for?"

"I'm gonna summon my familiar!"

Bon glanced quickly at Shima, who could only shrug in response. "My Lord God, even now I accept at Thy hands, cheerfully and willingly, with all its anxieties, pains, and sufferings, whatever death it shall please Thee to be mine."

Rin pressed his finger back to the circle and repeated his words exactly. "Amen!"

But still nothing happened.

Bon snorted sarcastically. "Nice familiar."

He shot the boy a disquieting glare before turning to Ammon. "Why didn't it work!? You said I could summon you!"

Ammon regarded him with a blank expression. "I'm standing right here, Rin."

"Oh..." He stared dumbly at the paper.

"Nee!" Shiemi let out a yelp of surprise as her familiar, a tiny green thing with a leaf for a hat, popped to life on top of her paper.

The teacher nodded. "That's a baby greenman—excellent, Moriyama."

Rin moved to congratulate her, (and get a better look at the demon she summoned), but she rushed by him to show Kamiki. He frowned as he watched her. "Aww man, even Shiemi can summon cool stuff." He looked down at the circle in his hand. "...What am I good for?"

 **. . .**

 _What am I good for?_

All day those words repeated in his mind, again and again, churning uncomfortably within him, and finally leaving a sensation of emptiness in his chest.

What was Rin good for? Bon could memorize entire books, Kamiki had two powerful familiars, Yukio was an excellent shot and a doctor, and Rin... He was nothing. Just a burden who couldn't even pass a simple test.

He wanted to get stronger, to protect Yukio like a big brother should, but how? Rin was nothing more than a failure, so what was the point? Why stay here? He was just making Yukio's job harder. And why bother trying to better himself? He would mess everything up; like he always did.

Rin came home later than usual, having taken a long, thoughtful walk through the outskirts of the Academy. Ammon was no where to be seen, and their bedroom door was closed, meaning that Yukio was probably up late studying or attempting to make his lectures easier for his dimwitted brother. With a heavy sigh, he tossed his bag on the floor and sat at the small kitchen table. He dug through his pockets, searching for the paper regarding their study camp. Rin uncrumpled it, laid it flat on the table, and stared at it blankly.

None of the meisters had been selected.

Frustration welled up inside him, and he gritted his teeth hard to keep his tears from flowing over. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he have some sort of skill or talent like everyone else? Why was he such a failure?

Rin buried his face in his hands and choked back a sob. "Ammon?" He called weakly, his voice cracking. "Ammon, I need someone to talk to..." He lowered his hands and looked around, but the kitchen remained empty. "Heh," he laughed once without humor, "I'm even a burden to you, aren't I?"

Maybe he should just go home.

He jumped slightly when the bedroom door opened. "Rin?" Yukio poked his head out. "Oh, that was you—I thought I heard something." He had changed out of his uniform into something more casual, but still looked like a successful student nonetheless. Rin sighed and lowered his eyes. "What's wrong?" Noticing his uncharacteristically glum demeanor, Yukio pulled up a chair and sat beside him. When his brother didn't respond, he turned his attention to the paper in front of him. "Having trouble picking a meister?" He smiled warmly. "It's not an easy decision, is it?"

"Yukio, I—" he swallowed hard as his voice cracked with emotion. "I think I'm going to go back home."

"Home?" He was shocked. "You mean back to the monastery? Why? I thought you wanted to be an exorcist?"

"I... I don't think I can do it..." He didn't look up, and his voice sounded as despondent as his expression. "Why did you become an exorcist, Yukio?"

He tensed beside Rin. He couldn't tell him, not yet; he wasn't ready for the truth. Instead, he went back to a lighter topic. "How about you be a Knight? You wanted a cool sword, didn't you?"

His brother perked up slightly. "Like the katana Father Fujimoto gave you?"

"Do you like it?" Yukio's smile brightened. "How about this—you stay here and become a Knight and, once you're skilled enough, I'll let you have it." He had already discussed this part with Father Fujimoto—when the inevitable finally happened, and it was time for Rin to unsheathe the Kurikara, he would know how to wield it, and it would become an extension of him rather than just a normal weapon. This was, of course, considering he stayed long enough to complete some of his training.

"R-really!? You would _really_ give it to me!?" But his excitement didn't last long, and he turned back to the paper, hesitant. "But...what if I mess up?"

Yukio struggled to find something to say that would convince Rin. A small part of him wished Father Fujimoto were here—he always knew what to say to make things better for both of them. He softened his expression and placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "So what if you mess up? If you do, then try again. Some of the greatest exorcists—like Father Fujimoto—had a difficult time getting started."

Rin laughed in disbelief, a wide, goofy smile chasing away his earlier frustration. "No way! _Dad_ messed up when he was a Page?"

No, he didn't. But a little white lie to boost his confidence wouldn't hurt, and Yukio was certain Father Fujimoto would've said something similar to him. "You'd be surprised. So don't give up, okay?"

"Okay!" Rin pulled a pen from his pocket and circled Knight under meisters. "I'm gonna be the best Knight the world has ever seen!"

"That's the spirit! Now, about homework..."

Rin stared at his brother blankly. "H-homework?"

Yukio sighed. "Rin, not again..."

He laughed nervously and stood. "J-just kidding! I'm going to work on it now!" He quickly grabbed his bag and hurried to the bedroom door.

"Rin." He paused and turned back, meeting his brother's affectionate smile with a raised brow. "I'll always be here for you."

He was going to say something sarcastic to brush it off, but, for once in his life, decided that maybe that wouldn't be appropriate. "Thanks, Yukio." He smiled back and then disappeared into their room, leaving his brother alone in the kitchen.

Yukio tapped his tattoo, summoning Ammon. Rin would do better if he had someone around to support his decision of becoming a Knight, to reinforce the idea that he would make a great exorcist, and Ammon was the perfect person for that role. He waited for the demon to show himself, tapping his foot impatiently against the ceramic floor.

Two minutes passed without any sign of his presence. Becoming slightly agitated, Yukio tapped his tattoo again, harder this time, more determined to scold him now rather than tell him about Rin. Another five minutes flew by, and still nothing. Yukio gritted his teeth, frustrated that his familiar wasn't obeying him. But there wasn't much he could do until Ammon finally decided to show up, so, annoyed, he went to his desk to continue grading assignments.

Ammon had better come prepared with a good excuse. Yukio didn't tolerate insolence from demons.

 **. . .**

Muffled, powerful classical music poured from the amphitheater into the empty lobby. Ammon listened intently as he waited for his sister's symphony to finish. He wasn't familiar with music of any kind, but he could pick out the melodic, textural style that was so often present in her more famous pieces—the use of strings to create urgency and the use of her wind section to create a dark undercurrent. It was a very angry sound, and that made him all the more apprehensive.

The ending of her song was quickly followed by a cacophony of applause. Not a second later, she burst through the door at the top of the leftmost staircase and motioned for him to follow. Hesitantly, Ammon climbed the steps and entered Amdusias's private room.

Her room was simple and bland, with a vanity dresser, chairs, a table, and a small refrigerator for drinks. There were no decorations on the walls and no personal items, making it almost impossible to tell this room apart from any of the other rooms in the building. But that was just the way they liked things: inconspicuous.

Amdusias, like all Harbingers, had thick, black hair and piercing yellow eyes. Her hair was pulled up slightly and pinned at the back, allowing her long, soft curls to spill around her shoulders. Her bangs, much like Ammon's, were pushed to the side and held in place with a golden hairpin resembling a clef. A flat, white horn jutted out from just above her forehead, but neither humans nor demons could see it. Being a conductor, she wore a black tuxedo with a tailcoat and a matching black undershirt. The bowtie at her throat and the cufflinks on her sleeves were white.

She sat in one of the four leather chairs surrounding a small, round table and pointed at the seat opposite to hers. "Sit, Abaddon." Her voice was light and feminine, almost like tinkling music. He obeyed. They sat in eerie silence for a moment, and he felt himself withering under her overbearing gaze. "You look hungry. Here." She withdrew her conducting baton from her sleeve and flicked it. A servant in black brought a clear jar on a velvet cushion. He held it out for Ammon to take.

It was filled with souls, each a different shade of blue. They looked like raw eggs: a lighter, transparent shade surrounding a darker, solid center. He accepted it with disgust. "I don't..." His voice trailed off pathetically. Ammon always found it hard to talk to his sisters. "I'm fine."

"Don't be ridiculous. All of us need to eat whether we like it or not." She looked at him expectantly. "Go on."

He swallowed hard. "I... I'm not—"

"Eat." Her command was terrifying, and he obeyed without a second thought.

Ammon opened the lid of the jar and picked out a soul, quickly shutting it before the others could escape. With a grimace, he shoved it in his mouth and swallowed. It squirmed and screamed as he did, and the sensation almost made him sick. He thought back to when he told Rin they were warm, and the lie coupled with the flailing spirit inside him made him completely lose his appetite. How could he ever tell someone as innocent as Rin the truth of what kind of monster he was?

She tapped the tip of her baton against her knee and stared at him blankly. He ate another to please her. "Do you know why I called you here?"

Yes, he did, but he was too afraid to speak.

"Your recklessness as a familiar has caused rumors of our existence to surface in Gehenna."

"I'm sorry." It was all he could manage.

She pocketed her baton and relaxed in her chair. "The Paladin knows your name."

"Ahh..." He tried to explain himself but choked on his words.

"Sister Superior doesn't know yet," she said in an attempt to assuage his fear, "and I don't intend on telling her." Ammon let out the breath he had been holding, relieved. "It's just one man," she paused to shrug a shoulder. "He should be easy enough to keep track of. I don't think it would be fair to involve Sister Superior in something so trivial, don't you agree, baby brother?" He nodded in submission. "This is your warning. Know that my generosity only goes so far, Abaddon. Do not take it for granted. Understand?"

"Yes, sister."

"Good." She sat upright and held her hands up. "Would you like to hear some music? I've been working on this new piece called 'Blue Night'. Tell me what you think." She began moving her hands melodically, as if she was leading an invisible orchestra, and strange, beautiful music poured out from an unseen source. The rhythm was slow and soothing, and soon Ammon found himself relaxing in his sister's presence.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry for not updating in a while. I got ill the day before Christmas and ended up spending a week in bed. I'm all better now, so, as always, thanks to everyone who reviewed: **Shinigami of the Elder Gods** , **Swoab** , and **DearlyFictitious**!

* * *

 **Wait, where was he? How** did he get here? Confused and disorientated, Rin stumbled in through the only door he could see. It led to an empty classroom, with no chairs or desks, just a chalkboard, a line of windows, and a few decorative posters plastered lazily on the walls. Not knowing what else to do, he walked over to the windows and peered out. Deep, orange light poured into the room, but a thick, impenetrable fog covered everything outside, and he had no idea where he was.

Rin turned back to leave and froze. A horde of students had suddenly filled the classroom. They wore the True Cross Academy uniform and had no facial features save for unnaturally wide, twisted grins. The group approached him as one, surrounding him like a pack of ravenous wolves, and Rin, terrified, backed away until he was pressed against the window.

"Demon!" One of them shouted. "Monster!" A cacophony of hateful words soon followed, rising in volume until Rin could no longer make out any distinct words.

He clasped his hands to his ears and shut his eyes tightly, hoping it would all go away on its own. "Shut up! I'm _not_ a demon!" Tears spilled freely from his eyes, but still they wouldn't stop. "Leave me alone!" He fell to his knees and looked up. Each student had grown to be fifty feet tall, and towered over him with vile, sneering expressions.

"Demon! Monster! Just die!"

"Stop it!" They laughed and Rin, unable to take anymore, screamed in his frustration. "I said _shut up_!" Blue fire suddenly exploded out of him, enveloping the giant students and quickly burning them until they were nothing but ash. Their forms twisted and screamed horrifically as they melted, and Rin could do nothing but watch in terrified fascination.

But, even though the students were gone, the flames didn't die. They turned on him, and began burning his flesh, entering his body through his mouth and nose as he struggled to breathe. The pain was incredible, like nothing he had ever felt before. It was almost as if the flame had taken shape inside him, and was desperately clawing at his body, trying to break free. Choked by the heat of the fire, Rin couldn't speak or scream.

He finally collapsed and cried pathetically for Father Fujimoto to save him.

 **. . .**

Rin bolted upright with a startled gasp, blinking away the bright blue shade that still lingered on his eyes. He let out a heavy, relieved sigh when he realized he was back in his bed.

That awful nightmare again… Rin had been plagued by this same dream for over a week now. It always progressed the same: a group of people would be surrounding him, calling him names, and then blue flames would erupt from his body, kill them, and finally turn on him. It felt so vivid, so real—he could still see the outlines of the flames when he closed his eyes, as if they were trapped inside him.

"Rin?" He flinched, realizing Ammon had suddenly appeared in response to his distress. "I'm sorry I couldn't respond to your summons earlier, but I'm here now. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." He sniffed and hurriedly wiped away the tears on his face. "I'm fine. It was just…a bad dream."

Ammon tried to give him a soft, comforting smile. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He hesitated, considering. After a moment of silence, he shook his head. "Not really."

"Okay." He stepped back into the shadows, only the faint glow of his yellow eyes visible in the heavy darkness surrounding him. "Call me if you need me."

"Wait, Ammon—" The words were out before he knew he said them. Ammon stepped back into the light with a concerned expression. "Can you…" He swallowed hard, embarrassed by the question he wanted to ask. "Can you make them go away?"

"You mean your dreams?" Rin nodded slowly. Ammon sighed and moved to stand beside his bed. "No. That's not something I'm capable of."

"Oh…" He failed to smother the disappointment in his voice.

Ammon frowned. "I have an idea!" he said, smile returning. He made himself comfortable on the floor and rested his elbows on the edge of Rin's bed. "How about this: I'll sit here and watch over you until morning. Chase away all the demons and monsters."

Rin scoffed, offended. "I'm not a child, Ammon."

"No, you're not," he spoke softly, affectionately. "But sometimes even the strongest of us need a little help." Rin lowered his eyes and stared at his hands fidgeting with the hem of his blanket. "Lay down and close your eyes. If you have another bad dream, or get scared, just open your eyes and look at me. I'll be here all night—I promise. So get some sleep, okay?"

Rin gave in and laid down, facing away from Ammon toward the wall, and pulled the blanket over his head. "Are you going to sing me a song too?" he asked sarcastically.

Ammon laughed. "Do you want me to? I know a few lullabies." He began to quietly hum _Hush, Little Baby_. The melody was gentle and soothing, and soon Rin felt his eyes growing heavy.

Though he would never admit it, Rin felt undeniably comfortable with Ammon at his side. He quickly slipped into a dreamless, restful sleep.

 **. . .**

Rin's habit of instantly falling back asleep once he was woken was becoming an increasing source of irritation for Yukio's mornings. He would've caved long ago and left the tedious act of rousing his brother to Ammon, but, for some silly reason, waking people wasn't something he could do in his half-physical state. So, unfortunately, Yukio spent the better half of his morning switching between preparing one of the empty rooms for the study session the Pages would be having, and the fruitless endeavor of waking Rin on time.

Finally, just after the Kyoto trio arrived, Yukio succeeded in pulling Rin from his sleep. "Rin, get up!" he growled, brow knit with frustration. Of all the days he had to sleep in, why today? "Everyone is waiting for you downstairs!"

" _Huh_...?" He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "What? What time is it?"

"Time for you to get up," he said firmly. "You remember the training camp we're hosting here, don't you? Get dressed—once the girls get here we're going to begin."

"Training camp?" Suddenly, everything clicked into place. "T-that's today!?" Rin scrambled to his feet and ripped his closet door open, searching for pants. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner!?" He hopped around the room as he struggled to pull his jeans on.

Yukio sighed and crossed his arms, a part of him finding joy at watching his brother rush to get ready. "I tried, (four times, might I add), but you just mumbled something about a lullaby and went back to sleep."

"L-lullaby!?" He turned red and shot a questioning glance at Ammon, who was still seated on the floor beside his bed. The boy only offered a playful shrug in response. Rin grumbled something angrily under his breath and tugged a long-sleeved shirt over his head. He didn't bother to check his appearance in the mirror and hastily followed his brother to the room they would be using down the hall.

"Good morning, Mr. Okumura." The girls abruptly stopped their conversation when they noticed him.

Yukio smiled in greeting to each of them. "Morning Kamiki, Paku, Moriyama. I hope you all are prepared for today." He slid the door open and entered. Rin could hear his muffled voice offering the same greeting to the boys inside.

"This place is spooky. Why did we have to come here again?" Kamiki huffed and tossed her bag to Shiemi. "Here, I'm tired—hold this."

"I-Izumo!" Paku frowned at her.

"It's okay!"

Rin felt a tinge of anger at the sight. Ever since Shiemi and that girl with the short eyebrows became 'friends', she'd been following her around like a servant: running her errands, finishing her assignments, and even fetching her snacks. Rin hated seeing such a nice girl being taken advantage of so easily; especially since, (according to Yukio), this was her first year attending classes with other students. What kind of bully did something like that to someone who just wanted to be friends?

"Hey!" Rin's stern voice made all three girls flinch in surprise. "Stop bossing her around!" He glared directly at Kamiki.

She rolled her eyes, no longer intimidated by him after her initial scare. "I'm _not_ bossing her around. We're friends! Right, Moriyama?"

Some kind of sad understanding crept into Shiemi's expression, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by her usual, bright smile. "Right! I'm helping out my friend!"

He ground his teeth in mute frustration. "That's not what friends do."

Kamiki tossed her hair back and laughed once. "What would _you_ know about friends, anyway?" Without waiting for a response, she walked into the study room, quickly followed by Paku.

"Don't brush me off like that!" Rin charged into the room after her, and, in his haste, accidentally crashed into Yukio.

"Rin! Stop playing around!" Yukio pushed his brother aside and stood, embarrassed and angry.

"S-sorry..."

Shiemi lingered just outside the door, her hands tightly clutching Kamiki's bag, her eyes downcast and staring into the distance. Ammon approached her with a frown, but knew better than to get involved now. His sister's warning was proof enough that he was going too far with some of his actions. Shiemi would have to conquer her problems on her own.

"Moriyama?" She started at the sound of Yukio's voice. "Everything alright?"

"O-oh, yes!" She hurried in to find her seat and Ammon's master closed the door in his face.

 **. . .**

Three agonizingly slow hours later, Yukio's timer went off and the students were finally allowed to relax. Their practice tests were quickly collected and the study session concluded for the day. "We'll go over the answers tomorrow morning at six," Yukio announced, glancing over each of the pages as they were handed to him. "You're free to spend your evening however you want, but please don't stray from the ground floor."

Kamiki was the first to get to her feet. "Paku, let's go take a bath!"'

Shiemi instantly perked up at her words. "A bath!? M-me too!"

Bon sighed and rubbed the back of his stiff neck. "Actually...a bath sounds good right about now."

"Planning to spy on the girls, huh Bon?" Shima wiggled his eyebrows playfully at his friend. Bon responded with a sharp, disquieting glare.

"The baths are down the hall and to your left," Yukio said, eyes never leaving the papers.

"Ugh..." Rin clumsily staggered to his feet with a pained groan. "I need some fresh air..."

Ammon stood from his seat beside Bon and obediently followed Rin. Blood flowed down into his rigid legs and made them tingle uncomfortably, like he had sat in a pile of needles. He paused just outside the study room to stretch and massage the feeling back into his muscles. He shouldn't have sat on the floor all night... Maybe next time he would ask Yukio to set up a chair for him in the corner of the room. One with large, plush armrests and a footstool so he could lay back.

He smiled wanly at the impossibility of his own fantasies.

Just then, something snapped him out of his daydreaming. At first, he thought it was his master summoning him, but, when he looked back, Yukio was busy discussing something with Shima. He stepped away from the open door and listened, closely this time, recognizing a very faint scratching sound that seemed to reverberate down from somewhere above him. The dreadful sensation accompanying it was gradually becoming stronger with each passing second.

Ammon's chest tightened with worry when he finally realized why it felt so familiar and yet so wrong: someone was drawing a summoning circle into the building.

Normally, this wouldn't bother him. Portals in Assiah weren't uncommon—all Tamers created portals when they summoned their familiars and unexplainable tears in the fabric of reality sometimes caused random portals to spawn. But it was the location, (a secluded dormitory filled with nothing but inexperienced Pages), that concerned him. It wasn't from any of the students—they were equipped with easy-to-shred scraps for convenience—and he knew there was no way it could be random, especially if it was building up like this.

No, this portal had the scent of something sinister about it, like someone trying to call upon something powerful enough to take down a young group of exorcists and their teacher. But who would have the knowledge and skill to etch a summoning circle directly into the floor? Ammon couldn't remember hearing anyone enter the building after the study session began...

"Ammon!" Rin called, a little too loudly, snapping him out of his contemplations. "Are you coming or not?"

Ammon bit his bottom lip in consideration. He quickly decided not to tell Rin—if he had to do something horrible to a familiar and its master, he didn't want anyone around to witness it. "Coming!" He followed Rin out of the main entrance to a freshly stocked vending machine.

"Man," he sighed heavily, "Yukio sure does work us hard, doesn't he? Think he'll let us have a break tomorrow after we go over those answers?"

But Ammon hadn't heard his question. Outside, the sensation tugging at him grew even stronger. It was deep and foreboding, resonating in his flesh and making his skin crawl as though something dead were slithering across it. The curiosity and concern growing within him quickly escalated until he decided he could no longer stand by and wait. If it bothered him this much, then it was dangerous, and if he brushed it off for too long, someone would end up getting hurt. He couldn't allow that to happen. Even though it wasn't a part of his contract, Ammon felt obligated to protect the Pages.

"Hey, Rin?"

"Hmm?" He dug a handful of coins out of his pocket and began to add them up in his head.

"I feel…dirty," he said with mock innocence, a finger on his chin as if he was in thought. "I think I'll go take a bath."

"A bath?" Rin's face scrunched in thought. Did Ammon even need to bathe? He couldn't remember ever seeing him shower, or change his clothes, or get dirty for that matter. And then, suddenly, he realized exactly why Ammon wanted to 'bathe'. "You're going to spy on Bon!"

"No! ...Well…maybe just a peek…" He couldn't help himself and laughed at Rin's expression—it was so much fun teasing him.

"You're going to watch him while he's naked!?" A shiver of disgust crawled down Rin's spine. "When did you become such a pervert!?"

Ammon shrugged. "It's not like he'll know I'm there."

"Dude, that's an invasion of privacy!"

He tapped his chin contemplatively. "Is it actually considered an invasion of privacy if it's a _public_ bath?"

" _Yes_!"

"Then I'll be careful not to get caught."

" _Ugh_!" Rin quickly turned away and inserted a few coins into the vending machine. "I don't care," he spat, "just leave me out of your disgusting fantasies!"

"Thanks, Rin. I'll meet up with you in the study room when I've had my fill." Rin groaned and waved him away, as if he couldn't be rid of him fast enough.

Ammon turned back to the dormitory and dropped his mask of affability. He walked past the baths, slowing his pace only long enough to give Shiemi a sympathetic frown, and continued up the steps to the sixth floor. Here, the portal's essence was overbearing—the air felt electrified, like the calm before a storm.

Though he knew its general vicinity, he couldn't pinpoint the summoning circle. So, he paused beside each door, listening carefully for the soft sound of chalk against the floor. It didn't take long until he found what he was searching for. He lingered outside the room, straining to hear anything.

After a long, hesitant moment, he stepped through the wooden door like a ghost.

The Academy's Magic Seals and Circles instructor was etching a complex diagram into the floor with his large compass. Dread churned uncomfortably in his chest. Neuhaus was the most dangerous man he could come across—organized, careful, and attentive to detail. If Ammon wasn't twice as meticulous as his opponent, he might figure something out and, ultimately, use it against him.

Ammon approached cautiously and squinted at the delicately crafted portal, trying to make sense out of its circles and lines. It appeared similar to the one he had done in class as an example, however, small changes here and there—a word, a square, a few extra lines—proved that this was a different summoning circle altogether. Whatever he was dragging up from Gehenna was more powerful than a simple naberius. But why? He obviously knew the students weren't prepared to face anything stronger than a cluster of coal tar, so why summon a powerful demon?

It didn't make sense... Unless he deliberately wanted to bring harm to someone.

Neuhaus finished the circle enveloping the main part of the sigil and set his compass aside. "So," he began frankly, "which of the twins do you belong to?"

Ammon offered no response, stunned that a human was able to recognize his presence. Then again, he was considered a familiar now, and Neuhaus was a an exceptionally experienced Tamer.

He dropped his barrier in an attempt to be polite. "Impressive."

He snorted. "I've had a lot of practice."

"What's this for?" he asked, gesturing to the circle, the portal underneath begging for blood to open it.

"I was given orders to draw you out of hiding." He leaned against the wall casually and crossed his arms, like he was waiting for something.

Ammon gritted his teeth. Drawing a summoning circle in a place where his master was vulnerable was a brilliant way to make him reveal himself. "W-what do you want?" he asked, failing to keep his voice steady.

"Not me," he shrugged a shoulder impassively.

" _Me_." Ammon whirled around, locking eyes with a green-haired demon. "I asked around town and heard rumors...I wanted to see if they were true." He stepped forward, into the sunlight pouring in through the uncovered window, and tilted his head, examining Ammon with an almost childish curiosity. "You don't _look_ like an angel who steals demon souls."

"I'm...not an angel."

"Show me," he demanded, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Say the words and show me your wings."

"I... I don't know what you're talking about!" Ammon backed away toward the door. He hadn't been able to study much on demons nor their kings in his lifetime, but something about this one in particular was making him nervous. This man obviously wasn't a normal demon—there was a power and confidence about him that most demons didn't possess. He acted as though he could tear down cities with a flick of his wrist, and, judging from what little Ammon knew of the higher-ranked demons, he probably could.

"If you don't show me now, I'll have to tell big brother. And then he'll give me permission to attack you." He spoke with a dull expression, as if the thought of killing something so far below him bored him. "I'm asking nicely. Show me your wings, Harbinger."

Ammon, desperate, resorted to the only trick he knew. " _Harbinger_?" He spoke with mock surprise. "Oh, so _that's_ what this is about!" He laughed once. "Harbingers don't exist."

The demon narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced. He couldn't do anything, of course, or else Mephisto would punish him. "...Maybe I was wrong." He barely bothered to hide his incredulous expression.

"Rumors are just rumors," he said with a shrug. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear." He, thankfully, offered no response, and Ammon took the silent opportunity to flee. It was foolish for him to run away, and he knew this, but his head was so muddled by almost being discovered by a powerful demon that rational thought never crossed his mind.

Amaimon let him go reluctantly, slightly disappointed. It would have been nice to play with him, but he feared the Harbinger, (if that was what he truly was), would prove to be less than a challenge. But, in the end, there was only one way to _really_ find out how powerful he was. And he knew big brother would agree with him.

Neuhaus waited until Ammon's hurried footsteps faded down the stairs before pushing himself off the wall. "Was that enough?"

"It will do for now." He waved his hand dismissively at the human. "You keep doing whatever you're supposed to do. I'll be back if I need you again."

Neuhaus watched with ill-concealed hatred as Amaimon leapt out the open window. When he was certain he was alone, he turned back to his summoning circle and held out his hand. He clenched his fist tight, drawing blood from his old wounds, and mumbled a few lines.

A thick, rotten scent quickly filled the room as a two-headed ghoul pulled itself out of the Gehenna portal. " _Master._ " It bowed respectfully to Neuhaus, seemingly speaking with two voices. " _What will you have of me_?"

"Kill Rin Okumura," he commanded, his voice void of any emotion.

The demon seemed to consider his request for a moment, as if it was reluctant to obey its master. Finally, it grunted in compliance. "... _As you wish_."


End file.
